Middle Earth
by APhantasm
Summary: Dawn jumped into the portal and landed in Middle Earth just as the party at Bilbo's is getting started. She winds up taking the hobbits place as a way to pass the time till she can find a way to return home.
1. Chapter 1: An Unexpected Party

**Summary:** Dawn jumped into the portal and landed in Middle Earth just as the party at Bilbo's is getting started. She winds up taking the hobbits place as a way to pass the time till she can find a way to return home.

**A/U:** Set after The Gift

**Pairing:** Minor - Dawn/Legolas

**Disclaimer:** Joss Whedon owns Buffy. The Tolkien Estate and Middle Earth Enterprises each own a portion of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. From what I can tell the question who owns what though is not as clear cut.

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: An Unexpected Party<strong>

"I'm sorry ..." Dawn said,

Buffy shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Nothing –" Dawn makes a break for it, tries to run back to the end of the platform. Buffy grabs her, pulls her back, gets between her and the end. "What are you doing?"

"I can end this." Dawn said.

Buffy shook her head. "No!"

"I have to jump. The energy –" Dawn stated knowing what she had to do.

"It'll kill you!" Buffy said.

Dawn nodded. "I know. Buffy, I know about the ritual! I have to stop it."

"No!" Buffy yelled.

Dawn sighed as she looked at her older sister. "I have to! Look at what's happening!" A rift opened as a huge dragon flew out, screaming. "Buffy –"

"I don't care! Dawn, I won't lose you –" Buffy said.

"You have to! You have to let me go! Blood starts it, and until the blood stops flowing it'll never stop. You know you have to let me ..." Dawn said as Buffy looks at her in despair - can she really let this happen? "It has to have the blood ..."

Buffy watched as she began to cry as Dawn kissed her on the cheek.

"I love you, Buffy. I will always love you." Dawn said. "I need you to promise me that you will live, for me."

Buffy nodded, "I promise. I love you too, Dawnie."

Dawn turned and ran swan diving off the edge of the platform down into the portal and then she vanished in a flash of white light.

Buffy made her way down the tower. Once she reached the bottom she looked for her sister's body, but she did not find it. She looked up at the sky at where the portal had been just moments before. "Stay safe, Dawnie. I will find you somehow."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Hush!" said Gandalf. "Let Thorin speak!"

"Gandalf, dwarves and Mr. Baggins! We are met together in the house of our friend and fellow conspirator, this most excellent and audacious hobbit—may the hair on his toes never fall out! all praise to his wine and ale! We are met to discuss our plans, our ways, means, policy and devices. We shall soon before the break of day start on our long journey, a journey from which some of us, or perhaps all of us may never return. It is a solemn moment. Our object is, I take it, well known to us all. To the estimable Mr. Baggins, and perhaps to one or two of the younger dwarves, the exact situation at the moment may require a little brief explanation—"

"Excitable little fellow," said Gandalf. "Gets funny queer fits, but he is one of the best, one of the best—as fierce as a dragon in a pinch."

And suddenly much to the dwarves, and the hobbit's dismay something flashed and opened right in front of them. Gandalf stood and walked over to it and nodded. "It is a portal," he said as out flew a teenage girl almost knocking Gandalf over.

The girl looked around at the dwarves, Gandalf and the hobbit and shook her head. "Is this heaven?"

"No my dear," said Gandalf as he helped her to stand. "This is Mr. Baggins' home and you are in the Shire. Where is it you are from my dear?"

"Sunnydale, California," said Dawn as the dwarves and the hobbit looked at her strangely. They did not know of such a place.

But Gandalf did, during his many travels he had wound up on the world she had come from. "The Hellmouth," he said.

"You know where I'm from?" asked the girl.

"I do," said Gandalf. "In my travels I have actually been to your world. You have crossed the dimensional barriers between your Earth and what we call Middle Earth. What is your name my dear?"

"Dawn, Dawn Summers," said Dawn. "My sister is Buffy, she's the Slayer."

Gandalf nodded. "A worthwhile occupation," he said. He looked at Bilbo Baggins and knew the hobbit did not want to go on this quest. He then turned to Thorin. "Thorin, a moment if you please." He took Thorin aside and they talked several minutes in hushed tones before finally rejoining the group.

"It seems," Thorin said. "We will no longer need the services of Mr. Baggins. Ms. Summers will take his place as burglar."

Bilbo Baggins let out a sigh of relief.

"Will she do, do you think?" One of the dwarves asked.

"I have talked to Thorin and have persuaded him to take Miss Summers along. This way I will be able to help her to eventually return home and you will not be at an odd number," said Gandalf. So as not to take up anymore of Bilbo Baggins' time they left for a nearby inn.

At the inn in the light of a big lamp Gandalf spread a piece of parchment rather like a map. "This was …"

"Uhm excuse me," Dawn said. "I mean no offense. But since I'm to be accompanying you all. Can you please fill me in on this quest of yours?"

"Quite right," Gandalf said. "Thorin, if you would do the honors."

"You're right, Burglar Summers. You should know what you are getting yourself into," Thorin said. "Long ago in my grandfather Thror's time our family was driven out of the far North, and came back with all their wealth and their tools to this Mountain on the map. It had been discovered by my far ancestor, Thrain the Old, but now they mined and they tunneled and they made huger halls and greater workshops—and in addition I believe they found a good deal of gold and a great many jewels too. Anyway they grew immensely rich and famous, and my grandfather was King under the Mountain again, and treated with great reverence by the mortal men, who lived to the South, and were gradually spreading up the Running River as far as the valley overshadowed by the Mountain. They built the merry town of Dale there in those days. Kings used to send for our smiths, and reward even the least skillful most richly. Fathers would beg us to take their sons as apprentices, and pay us handsomely, especially in food-supplies, which we never bothered to grow or find for ourselves. Altogether those were good days for us, and the poorest of us had money to spend and to lend, and leisure to make beautiful things just for the fun of it, not to speak of the most marvelous and magical toys, the like of which is not to be found in the world now-a-days. So my grandfather's halls became full of armor and jewels and carvings and cups, and the toy market of Dale was the wonder of the North.

"Undoubtedly that was what brought the dragon. Dragons steal gold and jewels, you know, from men and elves and dwarves, wherever they can find them; and they guard their plunder as long as they live, and never enjoy a brass ring of it. Indeed they hardly know a good bit of work from a bad, though they usually have a good notion of the current market value; and they can't make a thing for themselves, not even mend a little loose scale of their armour. There were lots of dragons in the North in those days, and gold was probably getting scarce up there, with the dwarves flying south or getting killed, and all the general waste and destruction that dragons make going from bad to worse. There was a most specially greedy, strong and wicked worm called Smaug. One day he flew up into the air and came south. The first we heard of it was a noise like a hurricane coming from the North, and the pine-trees on the Mountain creaking and cracking in the wind. Some of the dwarves who happened to be outside—well, from a good way off we saw the dragon settle on our mountain in a spout of flame. Then he came down the slopes and when he reached the woods they all went up in fire. By that time all the bells were ringing in Dale and the warriors were arming. The dwarves rushed out of their great gate; but there was the dragon waiting for them. None escaped that way. The river rushed up in steam and a fog fell on Dale, and in the fog the dragon came on them and destroyed most of the warriors—the usual unhappy story, it was only too common in those days. Then he went back and crept in through the Front Gate and routed out all the halls, and lanes, and tunnels, alleys, cellars, mansions and passages. After that there were no dwarves left alive inside, and he took all their wealth for himself. Probably, for that is the dragons' way, he has piled it all up in a great heap far inside, and sleeps on it for a bed. Later he used to crawl out of the great gate and come by night to Dale, and carry away people, especially maidens, to eat, until Dale was ruined, and all the people dead or gone. What goes on there now I don't know for certain, but I don't suppose any one lives nearer to the Mountain than the far edge of the Long Lake now-a-days."

"The few of us that were well outside sat and wept in hiding, and cursed Smaug; and there we were unexpectedly joined by my father and my grandfather with singed beards. They looked very grim but they said very little. When I asked how they had got away, they told me to hold my tongue, and said that one day in the proper time I should know. After that we went away, and we have had to earn our livings as best we could up and down the lands, often enough sinking as low as blacksmith-work or even coalmining. But we have never forgotten our stolen treasure. And even now, when I will allow we have a good bit laid by and are not so badly off"—here Thorin stroked the gold chain round his neck—"we still mean to get it back, and to bring our curses home to Smaug—if we can."

Thorin looked to Gandalf and motioned toward the parchment.

Gandalf nodded. "Now this was made by Thror, your grandfather, Thorin," he said. "It is a plan of the Mountain."

"I don't see that this will help us much," said Thorin disappointedly after a glance. "I remember the Mountain well enough and the lands about it. And I know where Mirkwood is, and the Withered Heath where the great dragons bred."

"There is a dragon marked in red on the Mountain," said Balin, "but it will be easy enough to find him without that, if ever we arrive there."

"There is one point that you haven't noticed," Gandalf continued, "and that is the secret entrance. You see that rune on the West side, and the hand pointing to it from the other runes? That marks a hidden passage to the Lower Halls."

"It may have been secret once," said Thorin, "but how do we know that it is secret any longer? Old Smaug has lived there long enough now to find out anything there is to know about those caves."

"He may—but he can't have used it for years and years."

"Why?"

"Because it is too small. _'Five feet high the door and three may walk abreast'_ say the runes, but Smaug could not creep into a hole that size, not even when he was a young dragon, certainly not after devouring so many of the dwarves and men of Dale. But in what way this one has been hidden we don't know without going to see. From what it says on the map I should guess there is a closed door which has been made to look exactly like the side of the Mountain. That is the usual dwarves' method—I think that is right, isn't it?"

"Quite right," said Thorin.

"Also," went on Gandalf, "I forgot to mention that with the map went a key, a small and curious key. Here it is!" he said, and handed to Thorin a key with a long barrel and intricate wards, made of silver. "Keep it safe!"

"Indeed I will," said Thorin, and he fastened it upon a fine chain that hung about his neck and under his jacket. "Now things begin to look more hopeful. This news alters them much for the better. So far we have had no clear idea what to do. We thought of going East, as quiet and careful as we could, as far as the Long Lake. After that the trouble would begin—."

"A long time before that, if I know anything about the roads East," interrupted Gandalf.

"We might go from there up along the River Running," went on Thorin taking no notice, "and so to the ruins of Dale—the old town in the valley there, under the shadow of the Mountain. But we none of us liked the idea of the Front Gate. The river runs right out of it through the great cliff at the South of the Mountain, and out of it comes the dragon too—far too often, unless he has changed his habits."

"That would be no good," said Gandalf, "not without a mighty Warrior, even a Hero. I tried to find one; but warriors are busy fighting one another in distant lands, and in this neighborhood heroes are scarce, or simply not to be found. Swords in these parts are mostly blunt, and axes are used for trees, and shields as cradles or dish-covers; and dragons are comfortably far-off. That is why I settled on _burglary_—especially when I remembered the existence of a Side-door. And here is Dawn Summers, _the_ burglar, the chosen and selected burglar."

"I have often wondered about my father's and my grandfather's escape. I see now they must have had a private Side-door which only they knew about. But apparently they made a map, and I should like to know how Gandalf got hold of it, and why it did not come down to me, the rightful heir."

"I did not 'get hold of it,' I was given it," said Gandalf. "Your grandfather Thror was killed, you remember, in the mines of Moria by Azog the Goblin."

"Curse his name, yes," said Thorin.

"And Thrain your father went away on the twenty-first of April, a hundred years ago last Thursday, and has never been seen by you since–"

"True, true," said Thorin.

"Well, your father gave me this to give to you; and if I have chosen my own time and way for handing it over, you can hardly blame me, considering the trouble I had to find you. Your father could not remember his own name when he gave me the paper, and he never told me yours; so on the whole I think I ought to be praised and thanked! Here it is," said he handing the map to Thorin.

"I don't understand," said Thorin, and Dawn felt she would have liked to say the same.

"Your grandfather," said Gandalf slowly and grimly, "gave the map to his son for safety before he went to the mines of Moria. Your father went away to try his luck with the map after your grandfather was killed; and lots of adventures of a most unpleasant sort he had, but he never got near the Mountain. How he got there I don't know, but I found him a prisoner in the dungeons of the Necromancer."

"Whatever were you doing there?" asked Thorin with a shudder, and all the dwarves shivered.

"Never you mind. I was finding things out, as usual; and a nasty dangerous business it was. Even I, Gandalf, only just escaped. I tried to save your father, but it was too late. He was witless and wandering, and had forgotten almost everything except the map and the key."

"We have long ago paid the goblins of Moria," said Thorin; "we must give a thought to the Necromancer."

"Don't be absurd! He is an enemy far beyond the powers of all the dwarves put together, if they could all be collected again from the four corners of the world. The one thing your father wished was for his son to read the map and use the key. The dragon and the Mountain are more than big enough tasks for you!"

"I quite agree," said Dawn. "If one thing I have learned from my sister is this. You don't want to bite off more than you can chew. If she had well I might not be here now."

"I think we have talked long enough for one night," said Gandalf. "We do not want to overwhelm Miss Summers."

Dawn smiled at Gandalf and nodded. "Thank you," she said. "I am rather tired. Before falling through that portal I had been up most of the night and the day prior and am quite tired."


	2. Chapter 2: Roast Mutton

**Chapter 2: Roast Mutton**

Dawn woke and quietly got dressed, having had slept in nothing more than her t-shirt and underwear. She went down into the inn proper and saw that the dwarves were not there. She wondered if maybe they and Gandalf had left without her, or if they were still asleep themselves. She was beginning to have second thoughts about this little quest of theirs. She did not really want to go up against a dragon. Of course it had sounded like Gandalf might be her only way home also. She decided it would not be best to worry about it on an empty stomach. So she sat and ordered her breakfast. She was just finishing the meal when in walked Gandalf.

"My dear Ms. Summers," said Gandalf, "whenever _are_ you going to come? And here you are having breakfast, or whatever you call it, at half past ten! They left you the message, because they could not wait."

"What message?" Dawn asked all in a fluster.

"Great Elephants!" said Gandalf as he stood and made his way over to the inn keeper and retrieved an envelope. He returned to Dawn and handed it to her.

Dawn took out a note from the envelope and read it:

"Thorin and Company to Burglar Dawn Summers greeting! For your offer of professional assistance our grateful acceptance. Terms: cash on delivery, up to and not exceeding one fourteenth of total profits (if any); all travelling expenses guaranteed in any event; funeral expenses to be defrayed by us or our representatives, if occasion arises and the matter is not otherwise arranged for. Thinking it unnecessary to disturb your esteemed repose, we have proceeded in advance to make requisite preparations, and shall await your respected person outside the inn at 11 a.m. sharp. Trusting that you will be _punctual_. _Yours deeply, Thorin & Co._"

"That leaves you just ten minutes." said Gandalf. "Enough time for the two of us to chat."

"About?" asked Dawn.

"About your going home," said Gandalf. "I have only been to your world a handful of times. And each time it was through a portal like the one that brought you. And since such portals are by nature unreliable as to when and where they open. I will have to do some research and see if we cannot find another way to send you home. It could take a great deal of time. It is why I persuaded Thorin to allow you to accompany him and the others instead of Mr. Baggins. That way you do not have to worry about when I return with news. You will be sufficiently distracted by the coming journey."

Dawn thought about it and nodded. "That sounds reasonable. And I thank you in advance for trying to find a way for me to return home," she said.

"Your quite welcome, Ms. Summers," said Gandalf. "I see it is two minutes till. I would suggest you meet Balin outside.

Dawn nodded as she got up from the table and headed out the door.

"Bravo!" said Balin when he spotted Dawn.

Just then all the others came round the corner of the road from the village. They were on ponies, and each pony was slung about with all kinds of baggages, packages, parcels, and paraphernalia. There was even a horse, apparently for Dawn.

"Up you two get, and off we go!" said Thorin.

They rode for many a mile with Gandalf beside them. Dawn noticed that to some degree that the dwarves didn't take much notice of her despite many a friendly overture. It was nearly night when they crossed over a river. Then they stopped and setup camp, and Thorin muttered something about supper, "and where shall we get a dry patch to sleep on?" Not until then did they notice that Gandalf was missing.

"Just when a wizard would have been most useful, too," groaned Dori and Nori.

Suddenly one of the ponies took fright at nothing and bolted. He got into the river before they could catch him; and before they could get him out again, Fili and Kili were nearly drowned, and all the baggage that he carried was washed away off him. Of course it was mostly food, and there was mighty little left for supper, and less for breakfast.

Balin, who was always their lookout man, suddenly said, "There's a light over there!"

Over on a nearby hill there looked to be a campfire.

They led their ponies and Dawn's horse over to the hill and suddenly a red light shone out very bright through the tree-trunks not far ahead.

"Now it is the burglar's turn," the dwarves said, meaning Dawn, who once again wished she had not come.

"You must go on and find out all about that light, and what it is for, and if all is perfectly safe and canny," said Thorin. "Now scuttle off, and come back quick, if all is well. If not, come back if you can! If you can't, hoot twice like a barn-owl and once like a screech-owl, and we will do what we can."

Dawn made her way over to the fire without disturbing anyone. She spotted three very large persons sitting round a very large fire of beech-logs. Dawn was sure they were trolls. She remembered Buffy telling her of Olaf, the troll Willow had accidentally freed from an amulet.

"Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey, if it don't look like mutton again tomorrow," said one of the trolls.

"Never a blinking bit of manflesh have we had for long enough," said a second. "What the 'ell William was a-thinkin' of to bring us into these parts at all, beats me—and the drink runnin' short, what's more," he said jogging the elbow of William, who was taking a pull at his jug.

William choked. "Shut yer mouth!" he said as soon as he could. "Yer can't expect folk to stop here forever just to be met by you and Bert. You've et a village and a half between yer, since we come down from the mountains. How much more d'yer want? And time's been up our way, when yer'd have said 'thank yer Bill' for a nice bit o' fat valley mutton like what this is." He took a big bite off a sheep's leg he was roasting, and wiped his lips on his sleeve.

Dawn watched the trolls, Buffy had told her that Olaf had liked to drink ale and eat babies. But these trolls seemed to be like a dumb cousin to Olaf.

Bert and Tom went off to the barrel. William was having another drink. Dawn quietly turned and was about to head back to the dwarves when she stepped on a twig and it snapped.

"'Ere, 'oo are you?" William said as he turned to face Dawn. He grabbed her by the neck, before she could duck behind the tree. "Blimey, Bert, look what I've copped!"

"What is it?" said the others coming up. "Lumme, if I knows! What are yer?"

"Dawn Summers, sister to Buffy Summers the Vampire Slayer," said Dawn. She wondered for but a moment if today was Tuesday. It seemed very possible it was as she always seemed to get into all manner of trouble on Tuesdays.

"Can yer cook her?" said Tom.

"Yer can try," said Bert, picking up a skewer.

"She wouldn't make above a mouthful for each of us," said William, "not when she was skinned and boned."

"P'raps there are more like her round about, and we might make a pie," said Bert. "Here you, are there any more of your sort a-sneakin' in these here woods, yer nassty little rabbit," said he looking Dawn.

"Please don't cook me, kind sirs!" said Dawn. "I am a good cook myself, in fact my sister is a bad cook and I cook for the both of us all the time. I'll cook a perfect breakfast for you, if only you won't have me for supper."

"Poor blighter," said William. "Poor blighter! Let her go!"

"I don't want to have me throat cut in me sleep! Hold her toes in the fire, till she talks!" said Bert.

"I won't have it," said William. "I caught her anyway."

"You're a fat fool, William," said Bert, "as I've said afore this evening."

"And you're a lout!"

"And I won't take that from you, Bill Huggins," says Bert, and put his fist in William's eye.

Dawn scrambled out of the way of the way of the trolls as they began to fight each other.

That would have been the time for Dawn to have left. But she was out of breath, and her head was going round; so there she lay for a while panting, just outside the circle of firelight.

Right in the middle of the fight up came Balin. The dwarves had heard noises from a distance, and after waiting for some time for Dawn to come back, or to hoot like an owl, they started off one by one to creep towards the light as quietly as they could. No sooner did Tom see Balin come into the light than he gave an awful howl. Trolls simply detest the very sight of dwarves (uncooked). Bert and Bill stopped fighting immediately, and "a sack, Tom, quick!" they said. Before Balin, who was wondering where in all this commotion Dawn was, knew what was happening, a sack was over his head, and he was down.

"There's more to come yet," said Tom, "or I'm mighty mistook. Lots and none at all, it is," said he. "No sisters of Vampire Slayers, but lots of these here dwarves. That's about the shape of it!"

"I reckon you're right," said Bert, "and we'd best get out of the light."

And so they did. With sacks in their hands they waited in the shadows. As each dwarf came up and looked at the fire, and the spilled jugs, and the gnawed mutton, in surprise, pop! went a nasty smelly sack over his head, and he was down. Soon Dwalin lay by Balin, and Fili and Kili together, and Dori and Nori and Ori all in a heap, and Oin and Gloin and Bifur and Bofur and Bombur piled uncomfortably near the fire.

"That'll teach 'em," said Tom; for Bifur and Bombur had given a lot of trouble, and fought like mad, as dwarves will when cornered.

Thorin came last—and he was not caught unawares. He came expecting mischief, and didn't need to see his friends' legs sticking out of sacks to tell him that things were not all well. He stood outside in the shadows some way off, and said: "What's all this trouble? Who has been knocking my people about?"

"It's trolls!" said Dawn from behind a tree. "They're hiding in the bushes with sacks. They caught me when I was coming back to try and warn you. When they started fighting I tried to get away."

"It is okay, Ms. Dawn," said Thorin. "Now we must rescue the others."

"My sister faced a troll once," Dawn said. "Though he was a tad bit smarter than these. Still we need a plan."

"She is right, Thorin."

They turned around to face Gandalf and Dawn smiled.

"To rescue the others a plan is needed. It is nearly dawn, if we can just stall them till then," Gandalf said. "Then they would turn to stone in the light of day, forever."

"And how do we go about doing that?" Thorin asked.

Just then they noticed the trolls were arguing now about whether they should roast them slowly, or mince them fine and boil them, or just sit on them one by one and squash them into jelly.

"That gives me an idea," Gandalf said. "I am very good at throwing my voice."

"And you'll make them think you are one of them," Dawn said. "Buying us time till the turn to stone."

"Yes," Gandalf said.

The trolls decided to roast the them now and eat them later—that was Bert's idea, and after a lot of argument they had all agreed to it.

"No good roasting 'em now, it'd take all night," said Gandalf and the trolls thought it was William.

"Don't start the argument all over again, Bill," Bert said, "or it _will_ take all night."

"Who's a-arguing?" said William, who thought it was Bert that had spoken.

"You are," said Bert.

"You're a liar," said William; and so the argument began all over again. In the end they decided to mince them fine and boil them. So they got a great black pot, and they took out their knives.

"No good boiling 'em! We ain't got no water, and it's a long way to the well and all," said Gandalf. Bert and William thought it was Tom.

"Shut up!" said Bert and William, "or we'll never have done. And yer can fetch the water yerself, if yer say any more."

"Shut up yerself!" said Tom, who thought it was William's voice. "Who's arguing but you, I'd like to know."

"You're a booby," said William.

"Booby yerself!" said Tom.

And so the argument began all over again, and went on hotter than ever, until at last they decided to sit on the sacks one by one and squash them, and boil them next time.

"Who shall we sit on first?" said Gandalf.

"Better sit on the last fellow first," said Bert. He thought Tom was talking.

"Don't talk to yerself!" said Tom. "But if you wants to sit on the last one, sit on him. Which is he?"

"The one with the yellow stockings," said Bert.

"Nonsense, the one with the grey stockings," said Gandalf.

"I made sure it was yellow," said Bert.

"Yellow it was," said William.

"Then what did yer say it was grey for?" said Bert.

"I never did. Tom said it," William said.

"That I never did!" said Tom. "It was you."

"Two to one, so shut yer mouth!" said Bert.

"Who are you a-talkin' to?" said William.

"Now stop it!" said Tom and Bert together. "The night's gettin' on, and dawn comes early. Let's get on with it!"

"The dawn take you all, and be stone to you!" said Gandalf just as the first rays of dawn came over the hill, and there was a mighty twitter in the branches.

William never spoke for he stood turned to stone as he stooped; and Bert and Tom were stuck like rocks as they looked at him as they too turned to stone.

"Excellent!" said Gandalf, as he, Thorin and Dawn stepped from behind the trees, and untied the bags that held the dwarves. After they were done the dwarves had to hear Dawn's account of what had happened to her twice over, before they were satisfied.

The dwarves all readily agreed that while Dawn had been captured, she couldn't be blamed for what happened to them because she had tried to come back and warn them.

"All we wanted was fire and food!" said Bombur with a sigh.

"And that's just what you wouldn't have got of those fellows without a struggle, in any case," said Gandalf. "Anyhow you are wasting time now. Don't you realize that the trolls must have a cave or a hole dug somewhere near to hide from the sun in? We must look into it!"

They searched about, and soon found the cave. But they could not open it.

"Would this be any good?" asked Dawn. "I found it on the ground where the trolls had their fight." She held out a key.

Gandalf grabbed it and fitted it into the keyhole. Then the stone door swung back with one big push, and they all went inside. There were bones on the floor and a nasty smell was in the air; but there was a good deal of food jumbled carelessly on shelves and on the ground, among an untidy litter of plunder, of all sorts from brass buttons to pots full of gold coins standing in a corner. There were lots of clothes, too, hanging on the walls—too small for trolls, I am afraid they belonged to victims—and among them were several swords of various makes, shapes, and sizes. Three caught their eyes particularly, because of their beautiful scabbards and jeweled hilts.

Gandalf and Thorin each took one of these; and Dawn took the third.

"These look like good blades," said Gandalf, half drawing them and looking at them curiously. "They were not made by any troll, nor by any smith among men in these parts and days; but when we can read the runes on them, we shall know more about them."

"Let's get out of this horrible smell!" said Fili. So they carried out the pots of coins, and such food as was untouched and looked fit to eat, also one barrel of ale which was still full. By that time they felt like breakfast, and sat down and ate from the trolls' larder.

And then they slept. When they woke later that afternoon they resumed their journey towards the East.

"Where did you go to, if I may ask?" said Thorin to Gandalf as they rode along.

"To look ahead," said Gandalf.

"And what brought you back in the nick of time?"

"Looking behind," said Gandalf.

"Exactly!" said Thorin; "but could you be more plain?"

"I went on to spy out our road. It will soon become dangerous and difficult. Also I was anxious about replenishing our small stock of provisions. I had not gone very far, however, when I met a couple of friends of mine from Rivendell."

"Where's that?" asked Dawn.

"Don't interrupt!" said Gandalf.

"Look," Dawn said in a fit of anger. "Don't forget I'm not from your world. I don't know nothing about it."

"Quite right," Gandalf said. "My apologies. Now you will get there in a few days now, if we're lucky, and find out all about it then. As I was saying I met two of Elrond's people. They were hurrying along for fear of the trolls. It was they who told me that three of them had come down from the mountains and settled in the woods not far from the road: they had frightened everyone away from the district, and they waylaid strangers. I immediately had a feeling that I was wanted back. Looking behind I saw a fire in the distance and made for it. So now you know. Please be more careful, next time, or we shall never get anywhere!"

"Thank you!" said Thorin.


	3. Chapter 3: A Short Rest

**Chapter 3: A Short Rest**

Gandalf led the way. "We must not miss the road, or we shall be done for," he said. "We need food, for one thing, _and_ rest in reasonable safety—also it is very necessary to tackle the Misty Mountains by the proper path, or else you will get lost in them, and have to come back and start at the beginning again."

They asked him where he was making for, and he answered: "You are come to the very edge of the Wild, as some of you may know. Hidden somewhere ahead of us is the fair valley of Rivendell where Elrond lives in the Last Homely House. I sent a message by my friends, and we are expected."

Morning passed, afternoon came; but in all the silent waste there was no sign of any dwelling. The only path was marked with white stones, some of which were small, and others were half covered with moss or heather. Altogether it was a very slow business following the track, even guided by Gandalf, who seemed to know his way about pretty well.

They came to the edge of a steep fall in the ground so suddenly that Gandalf's horse nearly slipped down the slope.

"Here it is at last!" he called, and the others gathered round him and looked over the edge. They saw a valley far below.

They slithered and slipped in the dusk down the steep zig-zag path into the secret valley of Rivendell. They heard laughing and singing in the trees as they moved along. At last one, a tall young fellow, came out from the trees and bowed to Gandalf and to Thorin.

"Welcome to the valley!" he said.

"Thank you!" said Thorin a bit gruffly; but Gandalf was already off his horse and among the elves, talking merrily with them.

"You are a little out of your way," said the elf: "that is, if you are making for the only path across the water and to the house beyond. We will set you right, but you had best get on foot, until you are over the bridge. Are you going to stay a bit and sing with us, or will you go straight on? Supper is preparing over there," he said. "I can smell the wood-fires for the cooking."

The dwarves were all for supper as soon as possible just then, and would not stay. On they all went, leading their ponies, and Dawn and Gandalf's horses, till they were brought to a good path and so at last to the very brink of the river. There was only a narrow bridge of stone without a parapet, as narrow as a pony could well walk on; and over that they had to go, slow and careful, one by one, each leading his pony by the bridle. The elves had brought bright lanterns to the shore, and they sang a merry song as the party went across.

"Don't dip your beard in the foam, father!" they cried to Thorin, who was bent almost on to his hands and knees. "It is long enough without watering it."

"Hush, hush! Good People! and good night!" said Gandalf, who came last. "Valleys have ears, and some elves have over merry tongues. Good night!"

And so at last they all came to the Last Homely House, and found its doors flung wide.

They stayed long in that good house, fourteen days at least, and they found it hard to leave. All of them, the ponies as well, grew refreshed and strong in a few days there. So the time came to midsummer eve, and they were to go on again with the early sun on midsummer morning.

Elrond knew all about runes of every kind. That day he looked at the swords they had brought from the trolls' lair, and he said: "These are not troll-make. They are old swords, very old swords of the High Elves of the West, my kin. They were made in Gondolin for the Goblin-wars. They must have come from a dragon's hoard or goblin plunder, for dragons and goblins destroyed that city many ages ago. This, Thorin, the runes name Orcrist, the Goblin-cleaver in the ancient tongue of Gondolin; it was a famous blade. This, Gandalf, was Glamdring, Foe-hammer that the king of Gondolin once wore." He was about to look at Dawn's sword when he looked in her eyes and saw something there that took him back.

"Whence did the trolls get them, I wonder?" said Thorin looking at his sword with new interest as he interrupted Elrond's thoughts.

"I could not say," said Elrond, "but one may guess that your trolls had plundered other plunderers, or come on the remnants of old robberies in some hold in the mountains. I have heard that there are still forgotten treasures of old to be found in the deserted caverns of the mines of Moria, since the dwarf and goblin war."

Thorin pondered these words. "I will keep this sword in honor," he said. "May it soon cleave goblins once again!"

"A wish that is likely to be granted soon enough in the mountains!" said Elrond. "But show me now your map!"

He took it and gazed long at it. "What is this?" he said. "There are moon-letters here, beside the plain runes which say 'five feet high the door and three may walk abreast.'"

"What are moon-letters?" asked Dawn.

"Moon-letters are rune-letters, but you cannot see them," said Elrond, "not when you look straight at them. They can only be seen when the moon shines behind them, and what is more, with the more cunning sort it must be a moon of the same shape and season as the day when they were written. The dwarves invented them and wrote them with silver pens, as your friends could tell you. These must have been written on a midsummer's eve in a crescent moon, a long while ago."

"What do they say?" asked Gandalf and Thorin together.

"Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks," read Elrond, "and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the key-hole."

"Durin, Durin!" said Thorin. "He was the father of the fathers of the eldest race of Dwarves, the Longbeards, and my first ancestor: I am his heir."

"Then what is Durin's Day?" asked Elrond.

"The first day of the dwarves' New Year," said Thorin, "is as all should know the first day of the last moon of Autumn on the threshold of Winter. We still call it Durin's Day when the last moon of Autumn and the sun are in the sky together. But this will not help us much, I fear, for it passes our skill in these days to guess when such a time will come again."

"That remains to be seen," said Gandalf. "Is there any more writing?"

"None to be seen by this moon," said Elrond, and he gave the map back to Thorin; and then the dwarves went down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve leaving Dawn and Gandalf alone with him. "Ms. Summers may I inquire on your parentage?" He looked once again in her eyes and noticed how similar to his own they looked.

"My mother was Joyce Summers, she passed away recently, and my father is Hank Summers." Dawn replied.

"They are you adoptive parents are they not?" Elrond asked.

"In a matter of speaking I guess you could say that," said Dawn.

Elrond nodded and looked at Gandalf. "She has not yet shown her true heritage yet which is what puzzles me." He looked back at Dawn. "I believe Dawn that you are my daughter."

Dawn's eyes went wide upon hearing that. "No offense, sir but I was not even born in this world. I was not even actually born I was created by magic."

Elrond nodded and smiled. "The people that created you must have used some blood in your creation, correct? Spells of that nature always require blood."

Dawn nodded. "Yes, my sister's."

"You mean your mother's." Elrond said.

Dawn shook her head. "No I mean my sister. The monks gave me memories of my life before I was created. My memories tell me Buffy is my sister."

Elrond nodded. "In essence though she is a little bit of both. Memories tell us one thing but blood tells us another. To make a child though more than one person must be used. Which means you had to have a father also. Have you noticed how similar the two of us look?"

"I have," Dawn said.

"There is a simple spell that can tell us if what I have said is true. Gandalf will you perform it," Elrond said as he looked towards Gandalf.

Gandalf nodded and muttered something in a language that Dawn did not recognize. Then she noticed that herself and Elrond both glowed green.

"Why is it always green?" Dawn muttered to herself.

"As I suspected you are my child, Ariel." Elrond said.

"Ariel?" Dawn asked.

Elrond smiled and nodded. "It is an Elvish name and will be yours from now on. It means dawn daughter."

Dawn thought about it long and hard. Neither Elrond nor Gandalf said anything as they understood this was not an easy thing to accept, and that she had to process the information. She knew that she had to have a _father_ since she didn't look like a clone of Buffy. But the thing had been who else had the monks used. And if the magical test Gandalf had performed was true, as she suspected it might be. She had to wonder how they had gotten Elrond's blood.

"If I may ask," Dawn said. "How would they have gotten your blood? I mean you're here and they're there."

"We may never know," Elrond said. "You are correct though in questioning my parentage. If I were in your place I would have done the same."

"Thank you," Dawn said as she came to a decision and smiled at Elrond, "father."

Elrond smiled and pulled Dawn into an embrace. "I have something for you." He produced a necklace. "Wear it and all those whom you meet that know of Elrond of Rivendell will know you are my child."

"Father, this may hurt you to ask. But do you know of a way back to my world?" Dawn asked.

"I do not." Elrond said. "And it does not hurt to know you would want to return. To be with your sister/mother and your friends. Know this that the pendant I have given you has a charm on it. Anytime you so choose you can return here."

The next morning was a midsummer's morning. Dawn, Gandalf and the dwarves rode away amid songs of farewell and good speed.


	4. Chapter 4: Over Hill and Under Hill

**Chapter 4: Over Hill and Under Hill**

There were many paths that led up into the mountains, and many passes over them. The dwarves and Dawn, helped by the wise advice of Elrond and the knowledge and memory of Gandalf, took the right road to the right pass.

Dawn spent her days on the road with a divided mind. One part of it made sure that she followed the dwarves and Gandalf. The other went over the implications that Elrond was her father. Then there was the fact that Elrond had said she had not shown her true heritage. What had he meant by that, she wondered.

One night Dawn watched as down in the valley, what the dwarves and Gandalf had called stone giants, hurling rocks at one another for a game, and catching them, and tossing them down into the darkness where they smashed among the trees far below, or splintered into little bits with a bang. All the while she was shivering from the cold. Luckily they had found an overhanging rock for shelter. But at times the wind came from the right direction and it blew in on them.

"This won't do at all!" said Thorin. "If we don't get blown off, or drowned, or struck by lightning, we shall be picked up by some giant and kicked sky-high for a football."

"Well, if you know of anywhere better, take us there!" said Gandalf, who was feeling very grumpy, and was far from happy about the giants himself.

The end of their argument was that they sent Fili and Kili to look for a better shelter. Soon Fili and Kili came crawling back, holding on to the rocks in the wind. "We have found a dry cave," they said, "not far round the next corner; and ponies and all could get inside."

"Have you _thoroughly_ explored it?" said Gandalf.

"Yes, yes!" they said, though everybody knew they could not have been long about it; they had come back too quick. "It isn't all that big, and it does not go far back."

So they moved to the cave. It seemed quite a fair size, but not too large and mysterious. It had a dry floor and some comfortable nooks. At one end there was room for the ponies

It must have been all the nights that Dawn had waited for Buffy to come home, before and after their mother had died, that had made her into a light sleeper. She had started awake when she had heard the sound of stone against stone. She opened her eyes and saw that a wide passage had been opened at the back of the cave and the ponies disappearing into them. She gave a loud yell to wake the dwarves.

Out jumped several goblins, they were outnumbered at least six to one. They were grabbed and led through the crack in the wall. But not Gandalf. Dawn's yell had done that much good. It had wakened him up wide in a splintered second, and when goblins came to grab him, there was a terrific flash like lightning in the cave, a smell like gunpowder, and several of them fell dead.

The crack closed with a snap, and Dawn and the dwarves were on the wrong side of it! The goblins hurried them along down what seemed to Dawn as endless tunnels.

Soon there was a glimmer of a red light before them. The goblins began to sing, or croak, keeping time with the flap of their flat feet on the stone, and shaking their prisoners as well as they led them into a large cavern.

It was lit by a great red fire in the middle, and by torches along the walls, and it was full of goblins. There in the shadows on a large flat stone sat a tremendous goblin with a huge head. "Who are these miserable persons?" said the Great Goblin.

"Dwarves, and this human!" said one of the goblins, pulling at Dawn's chain so that she fell forward onto her knees. "We found them sheltering in our Front Porch."

"What do you mean by it?" said the Great Goblin turning to Thorin. "Up to no good, I'll warrant! Spying on the private business of my people, I guess! Thieves, I shouldn't be surprised to learn! Murderers and friends of Elves, not unlikely! Come! What have you got to say?"

"Thorin the dwarf at your service!" he replied. "Of the things which you suspect and imagine we had no idea at all. We sheltered from a storm in what seemed a convenient cave and unused; nothing was further from our thoughts than inconveniencing goblins in any way whatever."

"Um!" said the Great Goblin. "So you say! Might I ask what you were doing up in the mountains at all, and where you were coming from, and where you were going to? In fact I should like to know all about you. Not that it will do you much good, Thorin Oakenshield, I know too much about your folk already; but let's have the truth, or I will prepare something particularly uncomfortable for you!"

"We were on a journey to visit our relatives, our nephews and nieces, and first, second, and third cousins, and the other descendants of our grandfathers, who live on the East side of these truly hospitable mountains," said Thorin.

"He is a liar, O truly tremendous one!" said one of the drivers. "Several of our people were struck by lightning in the cave, when we invited these creatures to come below; and they are as dead as stones. Also he has not explained this!" He held out the sword which Thorin had worn, the sword which came from the Trolls' lair.

The Great Goblin gave a truly awful howl of rage when he looked at it, and all his soldiers gnashed their teeth, clashed their shields, and stamped. They knew the sword at once. It had killed hundreds of goblins in its time, when the fair elves of Gondolin hunted them in the hills or did battle before their walls. They had called it Orcrist, Goblin-cleaver, but the goblins called it simply Biter. They hated it and hated worse any one that carried it.

"Murderers and elf-friends!" the Great Goblin shouted. "Slash them! Beat them! Bite them! Gnash them! Take them away to dark holes full of snakes, and never let them see the light again!" He was in such a rage that he jumped off his seat and himself rushed at Thorin with his mouth open.

Just at that moment all the lights in the cavern went out, and the great fire went off poof! into a tower of blue glowing smoke, right up to the roof, that scattered piercing white sparks all among the goblins.

The goblins were frightened beyond description. Suddenly a sword flashed in its own light. It went right through the Great Goblin and he fell dead. The goblin soldiers fled before the sword shrieking into the darkness.

The sword went back into its sheath. "Follow me quick!" said a voice fierce and quiet; and before Dawn understood what had happened she was trotting along again at the end of the line, down more dark passages with the yells of the goblin-hall growing fainter behind her. A pale light was leading them on.

"Quicker, quicker!" said the voice. "The torches will soon be relit."

Then Gandalf lit up his wand. Of course it was Gandalf; but just then they were too busy to ask how he got there.

"Are we all here?" said Gandalf, handing Thorin and Dawn's swords back to them. "Let me see: one—that's Thorin; two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven; where are Fili and Kili? Here they are! twelve, thirteen and of course Miss Dawn makes fourteen!" None of the dwarves knew of Dawn's elvish parentage. She had asked Gandalf and Elrond not to tell them as she wanted that task herself. "Well, well! It might be worse, and then again it might be a good deal better. No ponies, and no food, and no knowing quite where we are, and hordes of angry goblins just behind! On we go!"

On they went. They began to hear goblin noises and horrible cries far behind in the passages they had come through. Soon they could hear even the flap of the goblin feet, many many feet which seemed only just round the last corner. The blink of red torches could be seen behind them in the tunnel they were following; and they were getting deadly tired.

At this point Gandalf fell behind, and Thorin and Dawn with him. They turned a sharp corner. "About turn!" he shouted. "Draw your swords, Dawn! Thorin!"

There was nothing else to be done; and the goblins did not like it. They came scurrying round the corner in full cry, and found the three elvish blades cold and bright right in their astonished eyes. The ones in front dropped their torches and gave one yell before they were killed. The ones behind yelled still more, and leaped back knocking over those that were running after them.

With that the dwarves, Gandalf and Dawn turned and ran on through the tunnels yet again.

Soon the goblins overcame their fear and came at them again, this time much more silently than they had done the first time.

Dawn was quite suddenly grabbed from behind in the dark. She shouted and fell and rolled into the blackness, bumped her head on hard rock, and remembered nothing more.


	5. Chapter 5: Riddles in the Dark

**Author's Note: **Can you guess the answer to Dawn's riddles before Gollum?

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5: Riddles in the Dark<strong>

When Dawn opened her eyes, she realized she could see albeit faintly. As she stood she wondered how that could be as there was no source of light to be seen. She debated calling for the dwarves and Gandalf but decided it best not to. She was not sure if the goblins might hear her. "Buffy," she whispered as she made her way along slowly down the tunnel, hoping she was going in the right direction.

As she walked her eyesight improved and she realized so did her hearing, even though there was nothing to hear. She noticed a glint of something on the ground and bent down to pick it up. It was a ring. She put the ring for now in her pocket.

She sat down for a moment as she thought about home and more particularly of Buffy. How she half expected to be trapped in these tunnels for the rest of her life and how she would never see her sister again.

She decided it was best not to sit there and mope about what might or might not be. She had to find her way out and back to Gandalf and the dwarves so that she could return home. She then remembered how her sword glowed in the goblin's presence and drew it out. It was dim before her eyes. She was glad that the goblins were not very close by.

Dawn walked on steadily going down the tunnel, passing by side passages. On and on she went, and down and down; and still she heard no sound of anything except the occasional whirr of a bat.

Suddenly without any warning Dawn came to the brink of a subterranean lake.

Dawn saw a creature come across the lake in a boat.

"Bless us and splash us, my precioussss! I guess it's a choice feast; at least a tasty morsel it'd make us, gollum!"

Dawn noticed that the creature, she thought it might be called Gollum since that was what it called itself, was looking straight at her.

"What iss she, my preciouss?" whispered Gollum.

"I am Dawn Summers. I am lost can you help me to find my way out?" Dawn asked.

"What's she got in her handses?" said Gollum, looking at the sword, which he did not quite like.

"It is a sword," Dawn said.

"Sssss" said Gollum, and became quite polite. "Praps ye sits here and chats with it a bitsy, my preciousss. It likes riddles, praps it does, does it?"

"I'll make you a deal," Dawn said. "I will sit here, chat with you. But you have to show me the way out." Gollum nodded. "You ask first."

So Gollum hissed. _"What has roots as nobody sees, Is taller than trees, Up, up it goes, And yet never grows?"_

"Easy!" said Dawn who had always enjoyed riddles growing up, or that was at least what her memories told her. "Mountain."

"Does it guess easy? It must have a competition with us, my preciouss! If precious asks, and it doesn't answer, we eats it, my preciousss. If it asks us, and we doesn't answer, then we does what it wants, eh? We shows it the way out, yes!"

"You already agreed to show me the way out if I sat and chatted," Dawn said. "You can't make your own demands, now." Gollum hissed and moved menacingly towards her. "All right! _Who makes it, has no need of it. Who buys it, has no use for it. Who uses it can neither see nor feel it. What is it?" _

"A coffin, a coffing," he hissed. Then he asked his second. "_Voiceless it cries, Wingless flutters, Toothless bites, Mouthless mutters."_

"Wind, " Dawn said with a smile. "_A lemon that sits in the sky up so high. Lights up the sky for all time. We are fine as long as it is there. What is it? _"

"Ss, ss, ss," said Gollum. "Sss, sss, my preciouss. Sun it means, it does. _It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, cannot be heard, cannot be smelt. It lies behind stars and under hills, and empty holes it fills. It comes first and follows after, ends life, kills laughter."_

"Dark!" Dawn said. "_Leaping the steps of an intricate dance. Robes swirling in yellow and blue. Leaping the steps above orange floors. Scattered with black and grey stars whose molting was long overdue." _After some time Dawn grew impatient when Gollum did not answer. "Well, what is it?"

"Give us a chance; let it give us a chance, my preciouss—ss—ss."

"Well," said Dawn after giving him a long chance, "what about your guess?"

"Fire!" Gollum suddenly hissed. "Fire it is! _Alive without breath, as cold as death; never thirsty, ever drinking, all in mail never clinking."_

Dawn sat there thinking, this riddle was not as easy as the others. After a while Gollum began to hiss with pleasure to himself: "Is it nice, my preciousss? Is it juicy? Is it scrumptiously crunchable?" He began to peer at Dawn out of the darkness.

"Half a moment," Dawn said. "I gave you a good long chance just now."

"It must make haste, haste!" said Gollum, beginning to climb out of his boat on to the shore to get at Dawn.

Dawn smiled as a fish leapt out of the water at her feet. "Fish!"

Gollum was dreadfully disappointed.

"_No-legs lay on one-leg, two-legs sat near on three-legs, four-legs got some," _Dawn said.

"Fish on a little table, man at table sitting on a stool, the cat has the bones," Gollum said. "_This thing all things devours: Birds, beasts, trees, flowers; Gnaws iron, bites steel ;Grinds hard stones to meal; Slays king, ruins town, and beats high mountain down."_

Gollum began to get out of his boat again after Dawn hesitated a moment. She smiled. "Time!" she said.

Gollum was disappointed once more; and now he was getting angry, and also tired of the game. This time he did not go back to the boat. He sat down in the dark by Dawn.

"It's got to ask uss a quesstion, my preciouss, yes, yess, yesss. Jusst one more question to guess, yes, yess," said Gollum.

Dawn thought for a moment but no question came to mind. Then her hand slipped into her pocket and she smiled. She could win easily for the Gollum could not guess what she had in her pocket. _"What have I got in my pocket?"_

"Not fair! not fair!" he hissed. "It isn't fair, my precious, is it, to ask us what it's got in its nassty little pocketses?"

"What have I got in my pocket?" Dawn asked again with a smirk.

"S-s-s-s-s," hissed Gollum. "It must give us three guesseses, my preciouss, three guesseses."

"Very well! Guess away!" said Dawn.

"Handses!" said Gollum.

"Wrong," said Dawn. "Guess again!"

"S-s-s-s-s," said Gollum more upset than ever. "Knife!"

"Wrong!" said Dawn. "Last guess!"

Now Gollum was in a much worse state than when Dawn had asked him the egg-question. He hissed and spluttered and rocked himself backwards and forwards, and slapped his feet on the floor, and wriggled and squirmed; but still he did not dare to waste his last guess.

"Come on!" said Dawn. "I am waiting!" After a moment she smiled. "Time's up!"

"String, or nothing!" shrieked Gollum.

"Both wrong," cried Dawn as she jumped to her feet and put the sword between herself and Gollum.

Gollum did not at once attack her. He could see the sword in Dawn's hand. He sat still, shivering and whispering.

"Well?" Dawn said. "What about your promise? I want to go. You must show me the way."

"Did we say so, precious? Show the nassty little Summers the way out, yes, yes. But what has it got in its pocketses, eh? Not string, precious, but not nothing. Oh no! gollum!"

"Never you mind," said Dawn. "A promise is a promise."

"Cross it is, impatient, precious," hissed Gollum. "But it must wait, yes it must. We can't go up the tunnels so hasty. We must go and get some things first, yes, things to help us."

"Well, hurry up!" said Dawn.

Gollum got back into his boat and paddled out to a little island that Dawn could barely make out. She waited for what seemed like hours for Gollum to come back.

"Where iss it? Where iss it?" Dawn heard him crying. "Losst it is, my precious, lost, lost! Curse us and crush us, my precious is lost!"

"What's the matter?" Dawn called. "What have you lost?"

"It mustn't ask us," shrieked Gollum. "Not its business, no, gollum! It's losst, gollum, gollum, gollum."

"Well, so am I," cried Dawn as she began to felt the despair of being trapped down here with Gollum for the rest of her life, "and I want to get unlost. I want to find my way home, to my sister." She realized something just then. All the arguments. All the fights she had with Buffy. Were kin to a child seeking the attention of his parents. And she realized that Elrond had been right. Buffy was her mother. "Come on, you promised! Come and lead me out, and then go on back to searching for whatever you've lost!"

"No, not yet, precious!" Gollum answered. "We must search for it, it's lost, gollum."

"But you never guessed my last question, and you promised," said Dawn getting more frantic by the second.

"Never guessed!" said Gollum. Then suddenly out of the gloom came a sharp hiss. "What has it got in its pocketses? Tell us that. It must tell first."

"No," Dawn said. She wasn't sure why she said no. But something told her she must keep the ring a secret from Gollum. "You lost, let's go."

"But it wasn't a fair question," said Gollum. "Not a riddle, precious, no. What has it got in its pocketses?"

Dawn watched as the Gollum came back to its boat. And she frowned as she watched it with her improved eyesight paddle back across the lake.

"What has it got in its pocketses?" Gollum hissed as he leapt from his boat. "What have I, I wonder?"

Dawn put her left hand in her pocket. The ring felt very cold as it quietly slipped on to her groping forefinger.

The hiss was close behind her. She turned and saw Gollum's eyes like small green lamps coming up the slope. She readied the sword and then she puzzled in confusion as Gollum passed her by, taking no notice of her, cursing and whispering as he ran.

"Curse it! curse it! curse it!" hissed Gollum. "Curse the Summers! It's gone! What has it got in its pocketses? Oh we guess, we guess, my precious. She's found it, yes she must have. My birthday-present."

Dawn followed Gollum as she realized what it was it had lost, the ring she now wore. The very ring that had caused Gollum to not see her as it passed her by.

"My birthday-present! Curse it! How did we lose it, my precious? Yes, that's it. When we came this way last, when we twisted that nassty young squeaker. That's it. Curse it! It slipped from us, after all these ages and ages! It's gone, gollum."

Suddenly Gollum sat down and began to weep. Dawn halted and flattened herself against the tunnel-wall. After a while Gollum stopped weeping and began to talk. He seemed to be having an argument with himself.

"It's no good going back there to search, no. We doesn't remember all the places we've visited. And it's no use. The Summers has got it in its pocketses; the nassty noser has found it, we says."

"We guesses, precious, only guesses. We can't know till we find the nassty creature and squeezes it. But it doesn't know what the present can do, does it? It'll just keep it in its pocketses. It doesn't know, and it can't go far. It's lost itself, the nassty nosey thing. It doesn't know the way out. It said so."

"It said so, yes; but it's tricksy. It doesn't say what it means. It won't say what it's got in its pocketses. It knows. It knows a way in, it must know a way out, yes. It's off to the back-door. To the back-door, that's it."

"The goblinses will catch it then. It can't get out that way, precious."

"Ssss, sss, gollum! Goblinses! Yes, but if it's got the present, our precious present, then goblinses will get it, gollum! They'll find it, they'll find out what it does. We shan't ever be safe again, never, gollum! One of the goblinses will put it on, and then no one will see him. He'll be there but not seen. Not even our clever eyeses will notice him; and he'll come creepsy and tricksy and catch us, gollum, gollum!"

"Then let's stop talking, precious, and make haste. If the Summers has gone that way, we must go quick and see. Go! Not far now. Make haste!"

With a spring Gollum got up and started shambling off at a great pace. Dawn hurried after him.

On they went, Gollum flip-flapping ahead, hissing and cursing; Dawn behind going as softly as she could. When they reached the side passages, Gollum began to count them.

"One left, yes. One right, yes. Two right, yes, yes. Two left, yes, yes." And so on and on. At last he stopped by a low opening, on their left as they went up.

"Seven right, yes. Six left, yes!" he whispered. "This is it. This is the way to the back-door, yes. Here's the passage!"

He peered in, and shrank back. "But we dursn't go in, precious, no we dursn't. Goblinses down there. Lots of goblinses. We smells them. Ssss!"

"What shall we do? Curse them and crush them! We must wait here, precious, wait a bit and see."

So they came to a dead stop. Dawn debated what to do as Gollum sat in the opening. She smiled the opening was just large enough that she could dive through the opening just above Gollum's head.

Dawn ran as quick as she could and leapt over Gollum's head.

Gollum threw himself backwards, and grabbed as Dawn flew over him, but too late: his hands snapped on thin air, and Dawn sped off down the new tunnel.

As she ran behind her, Gollum cursed her. "Thief, thief, thief! Summers! We hates it, we hates it, we hates it forever!"

Dawn was sure if there were goblins about that they would have heard Gollum and came to check out what was going on. She had to be careful.

Soon the passage that had been sloping down began to go up again, and after a while it climbed steeply. But at last the slope stopped, the passage turned a corner and dipped down again, and there, at the bottom of a short incline, Dawn saw, filtering round another corner—a glimpse of light. Dawn smiled as she thought to herself. '_Now if luck is with me, I will find the dwarves and Gandalf and then Gandalf will help me to return home to mom.'_

Dawn came to an abrupt half when she spied the doorway ahead and the goblins, in full armor with drawn swords sitting just inside the door, and watching it with wide eyes, and watching the passage that led to it. They were aroused, alert, ready for anything.

Dawn smiled as a plan formed. A way to get the goblins away from the door. She slipped the ring off her finger. "Hey boys, looking for me."

The goblins yelled with delight and rushed Dawn as she slipped the ring back on her finger.

The goblins stopped short. They could not see a sign of her. She had vanished. They yelled twice as loud as before, but not so delightedly.

"Where is it?" they cried.

"Go back up the passage!" some shouted.

"This way!" some yelled. "That way!" others yelled. "Look out for the door," bellowed the captain.

Dawn had snuck by them in their confusion and was now edging through the door and outside. And then she took off running again. Knowing that the goblins would open the door and give chase. But they didn't. She had escaped them.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>I'm sure some of you are probably thinking. He's not changing much is he. That's true in this story. This is mostly just a setup for Middle Earth 2: Return to Middle Earth, which takes place in the Lord of the Rings trilogy with Dawn as the Ringbearer, and Middle Earth: Interlude, which takes place during seasons six and seven of Buffy and between Middle Earth and Middle Earth 2.


	6. Chapter 6: Out of the Frying Pan

**Chapter 6: Out of the Frying Pan Into the Fire**

Dawn slowed down. She didn't know where she was. She had hoped the dwarves and Gandalf had been nearby. She searched long and hard and had almost turned around to head back for the goblin tunnels to find out if the dwarves and Gandalf were still in there when finally she heard voices.

She stopped and listened and then smiled as she spotted Balin acting as lookout. Then she heard Gandalf arguing with the dwarves. They were discussing all that had happened to them in the tunnels, and wondering and debating what they were to do now. The dwarves were grumbling, and Gandalf was saying that they could not possibly go on with their journey leaving Dawn in the hands of the goblins, without trying to find out if she was alive or dead, and without trying to rescue her.

"After all she is my friend," said Gandalf, "and not a bad lass. I feel responsible for her, especially after promising her I would help he to return home. I wish to goodness you had not lost her."

"She has been more trouble than use so far," said one of the dwarves. "If we have got to go back now into those abominable tunnels to look for him, then drat him, I say."

Gandalf answered angrily: "I brought her, and I don't bring things that are of no use. Either you help me to look for her, or I go and leave you here to get out of the mess as best you can yourselves. If we can only find her again, you will thank me before all is over."

"No need," Dawn said as she removed the ring.

Every single dwarf jumped! Then they shouted with surprise and delight. Gandalf was as astonished as any of them, but probably more pleased than all the others. He called to Balin and told him what he thought of a lookout man who let people walk right into them like that without warning.

They then asked Dawn how she had gotten out of there. She told them about meeting Gollum and the riddles and Gollum leading her to the exit. She left out the detail about the ring, why she didn't reveal its existence to them she was not sure.

The dwarves looked at her with quite a new respect. And then they noticed something. Gandalf too had noticed it as well.

"What?" Dawn asked.

"I believe my dear," Gandalf said. "It is time to tell them what Elrond revealed to you."

"Why?" Dawn asked.

Gandalf motioned toward her ears and hair and Dawn reached up to touch her ear. It was pointed instead of rounded just like the elves they had met in Rivendell, just like her father's. Then she drew a strand of hair in front of her eyes and saw that it was blonde.

Dawn nodded. "I am Ariel, daughter of Elrond."

The dwarves looked at Dawn in shock.

"It seems your father was correct." Gandalf said. "With time your elvish features would appear and appear they have."

They then went on traveling down a rough path. Soon they found themselves at the top of a wide steep slope of fallen stones, the remains of a landslide. When they began to go down this, rubbish and small pebbles rolled away from their feet. Before long the whole slope above them and below them seemed on the move, and they were sliding away, huddled all together.

It was the trees at the bottom that saved them. They slid into the edge of a climbing wood of pines. Some caught hold of the trunks and swung themselves into lower branches, some (like Dawn) got behind a tree to shelter from the onslaught of the rocks. Soon the danger was over, the slide had stopped.

"Well! that has got us on a bit," said Gandalf; "and even goblins tracking us will have a job to come down here quietly."

"I daresay," grumbled Bombur; "but they won't find it difficult to send stones bouncing down on our heads."

"Nonsense! We are going to turn aside here out of the path of the slide. We must be quick! Look at the light!" Gandalf said.

The sun had long gone behind the mountains. They limped along as fast as they were able down the gentle slopes.

After what seemed ages they came suddenly to an opening where no trees grew. The moon was up and was shining into the clearing. All of a sudden they heard a howl away downhill, a long shuddering howl. It was answered by another away to the right and a good deal nearer to them; then by another not far away to the left. It was wolves howling at the moon, wolves gathering together!

"Up the trees quick!" cried Gandalf; and they ran to the trees at the edge of the glade.

Dawn was on Gandalf's heels as she climbed up behind him.

Just at that moment the wolves trotted howling into the clearing. All of a sudden there were hundreds of eyes looking at them.

"Those are not ordinary wolves," Dawn whispered to Gandalf.

"No my dear," Gandalf said. "Those are Wargs."

For a time they were safe.

The glade in the ring of trees was evidently a meeting-place of the wolves. More and more kept coming in. They Wargs set guards at each and every tree the dwarves, Gandalf and Dawn were in. All the rest (hundreds and hundreds it seemed) went and sat in a great circle in the glade; and in the middle of the circle was a great grey wolf. He spoke to them in the dreadful language of the Wargs.

"You understand them?" Dawn asked when she noticed that Gandalf was watching the leader.

"Yes," Gandalf said as he listened. "They came to meet the goblins. And of course we know why they are likely late."

Dawn nodded. "Because the head goblin back in the mountain is dead."

"Yes," Gandalf said. "They are also talking about men that live in the area. Men that have cut down trees to build homes. They don't dare attack them by themselves. The Goblins were to help with these men. They also wonder who we are since we have found their meeting place."

"Let me guess," Dawn said. "They have no intention of leaving till we tire and come down or the goblins arrive."

"Correct," Gandalf said. "We have to get out of these trees. But the problem is how."

Then an idea occurred to Gandalf as he gathered a huge pine-cone and set it alight with blue fire, and threw it whizzing down among the circle of the wolves. It struck one on the back, and immediately his shaggy coat caught fire, and he was leaping to and fro yelping horribly. Dawn smiled and started collecting more pine cones and was handing them to Gandalf as he lit each one and threw them. A specially large one hit the chief wolf on the nose, and he leaped in the air ten feet, and then rushed round and round the circle biting and snapping even at the other wolves in his anger and fright.

The dwarves shouted and cheered, which was short lived as the wolves ran into the woods and trees began to catch fire.

Then suddenly goblins came running up yelling. They thought a battle was going on; but they soon learned what had really happened. Some of them actually sat down and laughed. Others waved their spears and clashed the shafts against their shields. Goblins are not afraid of fire, and they soon had a plan which seemed to them most amusing.

Some got all the wolves together in a pack. Some stacked fern and brushwood round the tree-trunks. Others rushed round and stamped and beat, and beat and stamped, until nearly all the flames were put out—but they did not put out the fire nearest to the trees where the dwarves were. That fire they fed with leaves and dead branches and bracken. Soon they had a ring of smoke and flame all round the dwarves, a ring which they kept from spreading outwards; but it closed slowly in, till the running fire was licking the fuel piled under the trees.

Gandalf climbed to the top of the as Dawn followed.

Just at that moment the Lord of the Eagles swept down from above, seized Gandalf in his talons, and was gone. Another eagle swept down and carried Dawn away as well.

Dawn closed her eyes as she and the eagle flew. After being up on the tower and jumping off of it. She had a distaste for heights. And before she knew it, the flight ended as she was set down next to Gandalf.

Gandalf and the eagle-lord appeared to know one another slightly, and even to be on friendly terms. Dawn listened to the eagle-lord and Gandalf talk as they discussed plans for carrying them far away and setting them down well on their journey across the plains below.

The Lord of the Eagles would not take them anywhere near where men lived. "They would shoot at us with their great bows of yew," he said, "for they would think we were after their sheep. And at other times they would be right. No! we are glad to cheat the goblins of their sport, and glad to repay our thanks to you and the daughter of Elrond," Dawn looked down at the amulet around her neck and then up at the eagle-lord. He knew who Elrond was? "But we will not risk ourselves for dwarves in the southward plains."

"Very well," said Gandalf. "Take us where and as far as you will! We are already deeply obliged to you. But in the meantime we are famished with hunger."

"That can perhaps be mended," said the Lord of the Eagles.

They ate their fill of rabbits, hares, and a small sheep. And that night Dawn dreamt. Of returning home …


	7. Chapter 7: Queer Lodgings

**Chapter 7: Queer Lodgings**

The next morning Dawn woke. She ate cold mutton for breakfast which made her wonder what Buffy was eating.

The eagles soon took them to a great rock, almost a hill of stone, like a last outpost of the distant mountains, or a huge piece cast miles into the plain by some giant among giants.

"Farewell!" the eagles cried as they dropped everyone off on top of the rock, "wherever you fare, till your eyries receive you at the journey's end!" That is the polite thing to say among eagles.

"May the wind under your wings bear you where the sun sails and the moon walks," answered Gandalf, who knew the correct reply.

"I always meant to see you all safe (if possible) over the mountains," said Gandalf, "and now by good management _and_ good luck I have done it. Indeed we are now a good deal further east than I ever meant to come with you, for after all this is not my adventure. I intend to look in on it again before it is all over as I still have a promise to keep to Ariel, daughter of Elrond, daughter of Buffy. But in the meanwhile I have some other pressing business to attend to."

The dwarves groaned and looked most distressed.

"I am not going to disappear this very instant," said Gandalf. "I can give you a day or two more. Probably I can help you out of your present plight, and I need a little help myself. We have no food, and no baggage, and no ponies to ride; and you don't know where you are. Now I can tell you that. You are still some miles north of the path which we should have been following, if we had not left the mountain pass in a hurry. Very few people live in these parts, unless they have come here since I was last down this way, which is some years ago. But there is _somebody_ that I know of, who lives not far away. That Somebody made the steps on the great rock—the Carrock I believe he calls it. He does not come here often, certainly not in the daytime, and it is no good waiting for him. In fact it would be very dangerous. We must go and find him; and if all goes well at our meeting, I think I shall be off and wish you like the eagles 'farewell wherever you fare!'"

The dwarves begged Gandalf not to leave them.

"We shall see, we shall see!" Gandalf said, "and I think I have earned already some of your dragon-gold—when you have got it."

After that they stopped pleading. Then they each bathed in the river. Dawn was the only one that waited till the dwarves and Gandalf were finished then out of sight of the others she undressed and bathed as well. It was while Dawn was in the river that she noticed other changes. She was no longer fourteen years old, she was sure she was eighteen now.

"But how could that be," Dawn said.

A voice startled her. "Because you are an elf my dear."

While her head was the only thing above the water, Dawn instinctually covered herself. "Gandalf!" she looked around and saw that he was not in sight. "Where are you?"

"Behind the trees where I cannot see you," Gandalf said.

"Okay," Dawn said. "I'm getting out." She got out and quickly got dressed. "You can come out now."

Gandalf walked from behind the trees and over to her. "By human years you look to be eighteen. But you are far older than that."

"I know," Dawn said, "Just this side of forever. That's what Glory told me when I was trying to find out about the Key."

"The hell god you mentioned?" Gandalf asked as Dawn nodded.

During their stay at Rivendell after the revelation that Dawn was Elrond's daughter. She had told Elrond and Gandalf what she had been and why she had been created.

"Which means the Key was at least millions of years old," Dawn said.

Gandalf nodded. "Regardless of how old the Key was or is. Your body aged to the point of elvish maturity. At which point it stopped aging all together."

"I'm immortal?" Dawn asked.

"To some degree yes," Gandalf said. "You will not physically age from this point onward, and so will not die from old age. You also no longer have to worry about disease. But you can be killed by mortal means. A sword to the heart for example will kill you just as surely as it would me."

"Wow," Dawn said.

"Now tell me again about this Key," Gandalf said.

Dawn recited to Gandalf all she knew which to tell the truth was not much.

"So it can open the doorway between dimensions," Gandalf said. "Maybe with time we could teach you to harness it. Assuming of course it still resides within you. Then you could utilize it to return home. Amongst the many things that I must do when I leave the company. I will research this as well. If I have not returned by the end of the adventure. Return to your father. I will come to you there."

Soon they crossed the ford, and then began to march through the long green grass and down the lines of the wide-armed oaks and the tall elms.

"So why was that rock called the Carrock?" asked Dawn as she went along at the wizard's side.

"He called it the Carrock, because carrock is his word for it. He calls things like that carrocks, and this one is _the_ Carrock because it is the only one near his home and he knows it well."

"Who calls it? Who knows it?" Thorin asked.

"The Somebody I spoke of—a very great person. You must all be very polite when I introduce you. I shall introduce you slowly, two by two, I think; and you _must_ be careful not to annoy him, or heaven knows what will happen. He can be appalling when he is angry, though he is kind enough if humoured. Still I warn you he gets angry easily."

"Is that the person you are taking us to now?" the dwarves asked. "Couldn't you find someone more easy-tempered? Hadn't you better explain it all a bit clearer?"—and so on.

"Yes it certainly is! No I could not! And I was explaining very carefully," answered Gandalf crossly. "If you must know more, his name is Beorn. He is very strong, and he is a skin-changer."

"He's a shape shifter," Dawn said.

"That is one name for what he can do, yes," Gandalf said as the dwarves looked at him in confusion. So he explained. "He changes his skin: sometimes he is a huge black bear, sometimes he is a great strong black-haired man with huge arms and a great beard. I cannot tell you much more, though that ought to be enough. Some say that he is a bear descended from the great and ancient bears of the mountains that lived there before the giants came. Others say that he is a man descended from the first men who lived before Smaug or the other dragons came into this part of the world, and before the goblins came into the hills out of the North. I cannot say, though I fancy the last is the true tale. He is not the sort of person to ask questions of.

"At any rate he is under no enchantment but his own. He lives in an oak-wood and has a great wooden house; and as a man he keeps cattle and horses which are nearly as marvellous as himself. They work for him and talk to him. He does not eat them; neither does he hunt or eat wild animals. He keeps hives and hives of great fierce bees, and lives most on cream and honey. As a bear he ranges far and wide. I once saw him sitting all alone on the top of the Carrock at night watching the moon sinking towards the Misty Mountains, and I heard him growl in the tongue of bears: 'The day will come when they will perish and I shall go back!' That is why I believe he once came from the mountains himself."

It was the middle of the afternoon before they noticed that patches of flowers had begun to spring up, all the same kinds growing together as if they had been planted. There was a buzzing and a whirring and a droning in the air. Bees were busy everywhere.

"We are getting near," said Gandalf. "We are on the edge of his bee-pastures."

After a while they came to a belt of tall and very ancient oaks, and beyond these to a high thorn-hedge.

"You had better wait here," said the wizard to the dwarves; "and when I call or whistle begin to come after me—you will see the way I go—but only in pairs, mind, about five minutes between each pair of you. Bombur is fattest and will do for two, he had better come alone and last. Come on Ms. Summers! There is a gate somewhere round this way." And with that he went off along the hedge taking Dawn with him.

Gandalf and Dawn soon came to a wooden gate, beyond which they could see gardens and a cluster of low wooden buildings. They pushed open the heavy creaking gate and went down a wide track towards the house.

"They have gone to tell him of the arrival of strangers," said Gandalf as several horses galloped away.

Soon they reached a courtyard. In the middle there was a great oak-trunk with many lopped branches. Standing near was a huge man with an axe, the horses were standing by him with their noses at his shoulder.

"Ugh! Here they are!" he said to the horses. "They don't look dangerous. You can be off!" He laughed a great rolling laugh, put down his axe and came forward.

"Who are you and what do you want?" he asked gruffly.

"I am Gandalf," said Gandalf.

"Never heard of him," growled the man. "And who here is this elvish lass?"

"I am Ariel, daughter of Elrond, daughter of Buffy," Dawn said.

"Never heard of any of them either," the man said.

"I am a wizard," continued Gandalf. "I have heard of you, if you have not heard of me; but perhaps you have heard of my good cousin Radagast who lives near the Southern borders of Mirkwood?"

"Yes; not a bad fellow as wizards go, I believe. I used to see him now and again," said Beorn. "Well, now I know who you are, or who you say you are. What do you want?"

"To tell you the truth, we have lost our luggage and nearly lost our way, and are rather in need of help, or at least of advice. I may say we have had rather a bad time with goblins in the mountains."

"Goblins?" said the big man less gruffly. "O ho, so you've been having trouble with _them_ have you? What did you go near them for?"

"We did not mean to. They surprised us at night in a pass which we had to cross; we were coming out of the Lands over West into these countries—it is a long tale."

"Then you had better come inside and tell me some of it, if it won't take all day," said the man leading the way through a dark door that opened out of the courtyard into the house.

Following him they found themselves in a wide hall with a fire-place in the middle. They passed through this dim hall, and came through another smaller door into a sort of veranda propped on wooden posts made of single tree-trunks.

Here they sat on wooden benches while Gandalf began his tale.

"I was coming over the mountains with a friend or two..." said Gandalf.

"Or two? I can only see one," said Beorn.

"Well to tell you the truth, I did not like to bother you with a lot of us, until I found out if you were busy. I will give a call, if I may."

"Go on, call away!"

So Gandalf gave a long shrill whistle, and presently Thorin and Dori came round the house by the garden path and stood bowing low before them.

"One or three you meant, I see!" said Beorn. "But these aren't elves, they are dwarves!"

"Thorin Oakenshield, at your service! Dori at your service!" said the two dwarves bowing again.

"I don't need your service, thank you," said Beorn, "but I expect you need mine. I am not over fond of dwarves; but if it is true you are Thorin (son of Thrain, son of Thror, I believe), and that your companion is respectable, and that you are enemies of goblins and are not up to any mischief in my lands—what are you up to, by the way?"

"They are on their way to visit the land of their fathers, away east beyond Mirkwood," put in Gandalf, "and it is entirely an accident that we are in your lands at all. We were crossing by the High Pass that should have brought us to the road that lies to the south of your country, when we were attacked by the evil goblins—as I was about to tell you."

"Go on telling, then!" said Beorn, who was never very polite.

"There was a terrible storm; the stone-giants were out hurling rocks, and at the head of the pass we took refuge in a cave, Ariel and I and several of our companions..."

"Do you call two several?"

"Well, no. As a matter of fact there were more than two."

"Where are they? Killed, eaten, gone home?"

"Well, no. They don't seem all to have come when I whistled. Shy, I expect. You see, we are very much afraid that we are rather a lot for you to entertain."

"Go on, whistle again! I am in for a party, it seems, and one or two more won't make much difference," growled Beorn.

Gandalf whistled again; but Nori and Ori were there almost before he had stopped.

"Hullo!" said Beorn. "You came pretty quick—where were you hiding? Come on my jack-in-the-boxes!"

"Nori at your service, Ori at..." they began; but Beorn interrupted them.

"Thank you! When I want your help I will ask for it. Sit down, and let's get on with this tale, or it will be supper-time before it is ended."

"As soon as we were asleep," went on Gandalf, "a crack at the back of the cave opened; goblins came out and grabbed Ariel and the dwarves and our troop of ponies—"

"Troop of ponies? What were you—a travelling circus? Or were you carrying lots of goods? Or do you always call six a troop?"

"O no! As a matter of fact there were more than six ponies, for there were more than six of us—and well, here are two more!" Just at that moment Balin and Dwalin appeared and bowed so low that their beards swept the stone floor. The big man was frowning at first, but they did their best to be frightfully polite, and kept on nodding and bending and bowing and waving their hoods before their knees (in proper dwarf-fashion), till he stopped frowning and burst into a chuckling laugh: they looked so comical.

"Troop, was right," he said. "A fine comic one. Come in my merry men, and what are _your_ names? I don't want your service just now, only your names; and then sit down and stop wagging!"

"Balin and Dwalin," they said not daring to be offended, and sat flop on the floor looking rather surprised.

"Now go on again!" said Beorn to Gandalf.

"Where was I? O yes—I was _not_ grabbed. I killed a goblin or two with a flash—"

"Good!" growled Beorn. "It is some good being a wizard, then."

"—and slipped inside the crack before it closed. I followed down into the main hall, which was crowded with goblins. The Great Goblin was there with thirty or forty armed guards. I thought to myself 'even if they were not all chained together, what can a dozen do against so many?"'

"A dozen! That's the first time I've heard eight called a dozen. Or have you still got some more jacks that haven't yet come out of their boxes?"

"Well, yes, there seem to be a couple more here now—Fili and Kili, I believe," said Gandalf, as these two now appeared and stood smiling and bowing.

"That's enough!" said Beorn. "Sit down and be quiet! Now go on, Gandalf!"

So Gandalf went on with the tale, until he came to the fight in the dark, the discovery of the lower gate, and their horror when they found that Dawn had been mislaid. "We counted ourselves and found that there Ariel was missing. There were only fourteen of us left!"

"Fourteen! That's the first time I've heard one from ten leave fourteen. You mean nine, or else you haven't told me yet all the names of your party."

"Well, of course you haven't seen Oin and Gloin yet. And, bless me! here they are. I hope you will forgive them for bothering you."

"O let 'em all come! Hurry up! Come along, you two, and sit down! But look here, Gandalf, even now we have only got yourself and ten dwarves and the elf that was lost. That only makes eleven (plus one mislaid) and not fourteen, unless wizards count differently to other people. But now please get on with the tale."

When Gandalf came to their climbing into trees with the wolves all underneath, Beorn got up and strode about and muttered: "I wish I had been there! I would have given them more than fireworks!"

"Well," said Gandalf very glad to see that his tale was making a good impression, "I did the best I could. There we were with the wolves going mad underneath us and the forest beginning to blaze in places, when the goblins came down from the hills and discovered us. They yelled with delight and sang songs making fun of us. _Fifteen birds in five fir-trees ..._"

"Good heavens!" growled Beorn. "Don't pretend that goblins can't count. They can. Twelve isn't fifteen and they know it."

"And so do I. There were Bifur and Bofur as well. I haven't ventured to introduce them before, but here they are."

In came Bifur and Bofur. "And me!" gasped Bombur puffing up behind. He was fat, and also angry at being left till last. He refused to wait five minutes, and followed immediately after the other two.

"Well, now there _are_ fifteen of you; and since goblins can count, I suppose that is all that there were up the trees. Now perhaps we can finish this story without any more interruptions."

By the time Gandalf had finished his tale and had told of the eagles' rescue and of how they had all been brought to the Carrock, the sun had fallen behind the peaks of the Misty Mountains and the shadows were long in Beorn's garden.

"A very good tale!" said Beorn. "The best I have heard for a long while. If all beggars could tell such a good one, they might find me kinder. You may be making it all up, of course, but you deserve a supper for the story all the same. Let's have something to eat!"

"Yes please!" the dwarves all said together. "Thank you very much!"

"Thank you," Dawn said.

Inside the hall it was now quite dark. Beorn clapped his hands, and in trotted four beautiful white ponies and several large long-bodied grey dogs. Beorn said something to them in a queer language like animal noises turned into talk. They went out again and soon came back carrying torches in their mouths, which they lit at the fire and stuck in low brackets on the pillars of the hall about the central hearth.

There they had supper. All the time they ate, Beorn in his deep rolling voice told tales of the wild lands on this side of the mountains, and especially of the dark and dangerous wood, that lay outstretched far to North and South a day's ride before them, barring their way to the East, the terrible forest of Mirkwood.

And finally they settle down to sleep. It was full morning when Dawn awoke. One of the dwarves had fallen over her in the shadows where she lay, and had rolled down with a bump from the platform on to the floor. It was Bofur, and he was grumbling about it.

"Get up lazybones," he said, "or there will be no breakfast left for you."

Dawn opened her eyes and glared at Bofur but got up the same. "Where is breakfast?"

"Mostly inside us," answered the other dwarves who were moving about the hall; "but what is left is out on the veranda. We have been about looking for Beorn ever since the sun got up; but there is no sign of him anywhere, though we found breakfast laid as soon as we went out."

"Where is Gandalf?" asked Dawn, moving off to find something to eat as quick as she could.

"O! Out and about somewhere," they told her.

But they saw no sign of Gandalf that day, until the evening. Just before sunset he walked into the hall as they were having supper.

"Where is our host, and where have _you_ been all day yourself?" the dwarves cried as they had not seen Beorn all day either.

"One question at a time—and none till after supper! I haven't had a bite since breakfast."

At last Gandalf pushed away his plate and jug and took out his pipe. "I will answer the second question first," he said, "—but bless me! This is a splendid place for smoke rings!" Indeed for a long time they could get nothing more out of him, he was so busy sending smoke rings dodging round the pillars of the hall, changing them into all sorts of different shapes and colours, and setting them at last chasing one another out of the hole in the roof.

"I have been picking out bear-tracks," he said at last. "There must have been a regular bears' meeting outside here last night. I soon saw that Beorn could not have made them all: there were far too many of them, and they were of various sizes too. I should say there were little bears, large bears, ordinary bears, and gigantic big bears, all dancing outside from dark to nearly dawn. They came from almost every direction, except from the west over the river, from the Mountains. In that direction only one set of footprints led—none coming, only ones going away from here. I followed these as far as the Carrock. There they disappeared into the river, but the water was too deep and strong beyond the rock for me to cross. It is easy enough, as you remember, to get from this bank to the Carrock by the ford, but on the other side is a cliff standing up from a swirling channel. I had to walk miles before I found a place where the river was wide and shallow enough for me to wade and swim, and then miles back again to pick up the tracks again. By that time it was too late for me to follow them far. They went straight off in the direction of the pine-woods on the east side of the Misty Mountains, where we had our pleasant little party with the Wargs the night before last. And now I think I have answered your first question, too," ended Gandalf, and he sat a long while silent.

Next morning they were all wakened by Beorn himself. "So here you all are still!" he said. "Not eaten up by Wargs or goblins or wicked bears yet I see." He tickled Dawn who laughed. "Little bunny is getting nice and fat on bread and honey," he chuckled. "Come and have some more!"

Dawn glanced at Gandalf she was not sure if it was possible for her to get fat anymore. All the elves she had seen in Rivendell had been fit and muscular.

So they all went to breakfast with him. Beorn was most jolly for a change; indeed he seemed to be in a splendidly good humour and set them all laughing with his funny stories; nor did they have to wonder long where he had been or why he was so nice to them, for he told them himself. He had been over the river and right back up into the mountains. From the burnt wolf-glade he had soon found out that part of their story was true; but he had found more than that: he had caught a Warg and a goblin wandering in the woods. From these he had got news: the goblin patrols were still hunting with Wargs for the dwarves, and they were fiercely angry because of the death of the Great Goblin, and also because of the burning of the chief wolf's nose and the death from Gandalf's fire of many of the chief servants.

"It was a good story, that of yours," said Beorn, "but I like it still better now I am sure it is true. You must forgive my not taking your word. If you lived near the edge of Mirkwood, you would take the word of no one that you did not know as well as your brother or better. As it is, I can only say that I have hurried home as fast as I could to see that you were safe, and to offer you any help that I can. I shall think more kindly of dwarves after this. Killed the Great Goblin, killed the Great Goblin!" he chuckled fiercely to himself.

"What did you do with the goblin and the Warg?" asked Dawn suddenly.

"Come and see!" said Beorn, and they followed round the house. A goblin's head was stuck outside the gate and a warg-skin was nailed to a tree just beyond.

Beorn then promised them ponies for each of the dwarves, and a horse for Dawn and Gandalf, for their journey to the forest, and he would lade them with food to last them for weeks with care, and packed so as to be as easy as possible to carry. "But your way through Mirkwood is dark, dangerous and difficult," he said. "Water is not easy to find there, nor food. The time is not yet come for nuts (though it may be past and gone indeed before you get to the other side), and nuts are about all that grows there fit for food; in there the wild things are dark, queer, and savage. I will provide you with skins for carrying water, and I will give you some bows and arrows. But I doubt very much whether anything you find in Mirkwood will be wholesome to eat or to drink. There is one stream there, I know, black and strong which crosses the path. That you should neither drink of, nor bathe in; for I have heard that it carries enchantment and a great drowsiness and forgetfulness. And in the dim shadows of that place I don't think you will shoot anything, wholesome or unwholesome, without straying from the path. That you MUST NOT do, for any reason."

"That is all the advice I can give you. Beyond the edge of the forest I cannot help you much; you must depend on your luck and your courage and the food I send with you. At the gate of the forest I must ask you to send back my horses and my ponies. But I wish you all speed, and my house is open to you, if ever you come back this way again."

They thanked him, of course, with many bows and sweepings of their hoods and with many an "at your service, O master of the wide wooden halls!"

All that morning they were busy with preparations. Soon after midday they ate with Beorn for the last time, and after the meal they mounted the steeds he was lending them, and bidding him many farewells they rode off through his gate at a good pace.

They made their way towards Mirkwood, they camped at sunset and started again the next day. Beorn had said that they should reach the forest-gate early on the fourth-day.

By the afternoon of the fourth day they had reached the eaves of Mirkwood, and were resting almost beneath the great overhanging boughs of its outer trees.

"Well, here is Mirkwood!" said Gandalf. "The greatest of the forests of the Northern world. I hope you like the look of it. Now you must send back these excellent ponies you have borrowed. And your horse as well, Ms. Summers."

The dwarves were inclined to grumble at this, but Gandalf told them they were fools. "Beorn is not as far off as you seem to think, and you had better keep your promises anyway, for he is a bad enemy. Ms. Summers' eyes are sharper than yours, if you have not seen each night after dark a great bear going along with us or sitting far off in the moon watching our camps. Not only to guard you and guide you, but to keep an eye on the ponies and horses too. Beorn may be your friend, but he loves his animals as his children. You do not guess what kindness he has shown you in letting dwarves ride them so far and so fast, nor what would happen to you, if you tried to take them into the forest."

"What about your horse, then?" said Thorin. "You don't mention sending that back."

"I don't, because I am not sending it."

"What about _your_ promise then?"

"I will look after that. I am not sending the horse back, I am riding it!"

Then they knew that Gandalf was going to leave them at the very edge of Mirkwood.

"Now we had this all out before, when we landed on the Carrock," he said. "It is no use arguing. I have, as I told you, some pressing business away south; and I am already late through bothering with you people. We may meet again before all is over, and then again of course we may not. That depends on your luck and on your courage and sense; and I am sending Mr. Baggins with you. I have told you before that he has more about him than you guess, and you will find that out before long. So cheer up Dawn and don't look so glum. Cheer up Thorin and Company! This is your expedition after all. Think of the treasure at the end, and forget the forest and the dragon, at any rate until tomorrow morning!"

When tomorrow morning came they unburdened the ponies and Dawn's horse and then shouldered the packages as evenly as possible. Then they sent the ponies and Dawn's horse on their way.

Now Gandalf too said farewell. "Good-bye!" he said to Thorin. "And goodbye to you all, good-bye! Straight through the forest is your way now. Don't stray off the track!—if you do, it is a thousand to one you will never find it again and never get out of Mirkwood; and then I don't suppose I, or anyone else, will ever see you again."

"Good-bye! If you won't come with us, you had better get off without any more talk!" Thorin said.

"Good-bye then, and really good-bye!" said Gandalf, and he turned his horse and rode down into the West. But he could not resist the temptation to have the last word. "Good-bye! Be good, take care of yourselves—and DON'T LEAVE THE PATH!"

Then he galloped away and was soon lost to sight.

"O good-bye and go away!" grunted the dwarves.

Now began the most dangerous part of all the journey. They each shouldered the heavy pack and the water-skin which was their share, and turned from the light that lay on the lands outside and plunged into the forest.


	8. Chapter 8: Flies and Spiders

**Chapter 8: Flies and Spiders**

They walked in single file. The entrance to the path was like a sort of arch leading into a gloomy tunnel. The path itself was narrow and wound in and out among the trunks. Soon the light at the gate was like a little bright hole far behind, and the quiet was so deep that their feet seemed to thump along while all the trees leaned over them and listened.

It was not long before they grew to hate the forest as heartily as they had hated the tunnels of the goblins, and it seemed to offer even less hope of any ending. But they had to go on and on, long after they were sick for a sight of the sun and of the sky, and longed for the feel of wind on their faces. There was no movement of air down under the forest-roof, and it was everlastingly still and dark and stuffy.

The nights were the worst. It then became so dark they couldn't see their hands in front of their faces. They slept all closely huddled together, and took it in turns to watch.

Although it was not yet very cold, they tried lighting watch-fires at night, but they soon gave that up. It seemed to bring hundreds and hundreds of eyes all round them, though the creatures, whatever they were, were careful never to let their bodies show in the little flicker of the flames.

All this went on for what seemed to them ages upon ages. As days followed days, the forest seemed just the same, they began to get anxious. The food would not last forever: it was in fact already beginning to get low. They tried shooting at the squirrels, and they wasted many arrows before they managed to bring one down on the path. But when they roasted it, it proved horrible to taste, and they shot no more squirrels.

They were thirsty too, for they had none too much water, and in all the time they had seen neither spring nor stream. This was their state when one day they found their path blocked by a running water. I

Dawn knelt on the bank of the river and smiled. "There is a boat against the far bank!"

"How far away do you think it is?" asked Thorin.

"Not at all far. I shouldn't think above twelve yards," Dawn replied.

"Twelve yards! I should have thought it was thirty at least, but my eyes don't see as well as they used to a hundred years ago. Still twelve yards is as good as a mile. We can't jump it, and we daren't try to wade or swim."

"Can any of you throw a rope?" Dawn asked.

"What's the good of that? The boat is sure to be tied up, even if we could hook it, which I doubt."

"I don't believe it is tied," said Dawn, "though of course I can't be sure in this light; but it looks to me as if it was just drawn up on the bank, which is low just there where the path goes down into the water."

"Dori is the strongest, but Fili is the youngest and still has the best sight," said Thorin. "Come here Fili, and see if you can see the boat Ms. Summers is talking about."

Fili thought he could; so when he had stared a long while to get an idea of the direction, the others brought him a rope. They fastened on it a large iron hook they had used for catching their packs to the straps about their shoulders. Fili took this in his hand, balanced it for a moment, and then flung it across the stream.

Splash it fell in the water! "Not far enough!" said Dawn who was peering forward. "A couple of feet and you would have dropped it on to the boat. Try again."

Fili picked up the hook when he had drawn it back. This time he threw it with great strength.

"Steady!" said Dawn, "you have thrown it right into the wood on the other side now. Draw it back gently." Fili hauled the rope back slowly. "Carefully! It is lying on the boat; let's hope the hook will catch."

It did. The rope went taut, and Fili pulled in vain. Kili came to his help, and then Oin and Gloin. They tugged and tugged, and suddenly they all fell over on their backs. Dawn was on the lookout, however, caught the rope and pulled the boat across.

"It was tied after all," said Balin, looking at the snapped painter that was still dangling from it. "That was a good pull, my lads; and a good job that our rope was the stronger."

"Who'll cross first?" asked Dawn.

"I shall," said Thorin, "and you will come with me, and Fili and Balin. That's as many as the boat will hold at a time. After that Kili and Oin and Gloin and Dori; next Ori and Nori, Bifur and Bofur; and last Dwalin and Bombur."

"I'm always last and I don't like it," said Bombur. "It's somebody else's turn today."

"You should not be so fat. As you are, you must be with the last and lightest boatload. Don't start grumbling against orders, or something bad will happen to you."

"There aren't any oars. How are you going to push the boat back to the far bank?" asked the hobbit.

"Give me another length of rope and another hook," said Fili, and when they had got it ready, he cast it into the darkness ahead and as high as he could throw it. Since it did not fall down again, they saw that it must have stuck in the branches. "Get in now," said Fili, "and one of you haul on the rope that is stuck in a tree on the other side. One of the others must keep hold of the hook we used at first, and when we are safe on the other side he can hook it on, and you can draw the boat back."

In this way they were all soon on the far bank safe across the stream. Dwalin had just scrambled out with the coiled rope on his arm, and Bombur (still grumbling) was getting ready to follow, when something bad did happen. There was a sound of hooves on the path ahead. Out of the gloom came suddenly the shape of a deer. It charged into the dwarves and bowled them over, then gathered itself for a leap. High it sprang and cleared the water with a mighty jump. But it did not reach the other side in safety. Thorin was the only one who had kept his feet and his wits. As soon as they had landed he had bent his bow and fitted an arrow in case any hidden guardian of the boat appeared. Now he sent a swift and sure shot into the leaping beast. As it reached the further bank it stumbled. The shadows swallowed it up, but they heard the sound of hooves quickly falter and then go still.

Before they could shout in praise of the shot, however, Dawn yelled out. "Bombur has fallen in! Bombur is drowning!" she cried.

Bombur had stumbled, thrusting the boat away from the bank, and then toppled back into the dark water, his hands slipping off the slimy roots at the edge, while the boat span slowly off and disappeared.

They could still see his hood above the water when they ran to the bank. Quickly, they flung a rope with a hook towards him. His hand caught it, and they pulled him to the shore. He was drenched from hair to boots, but that was not the worst. When they laid him on the bank he was fast asleep.

"The stream must have been enchanted," Dawn said as the dwarves agreed. "Good thing Beorn told us not to drink from any water in the forest."

No amount of effort could waken Bombur. Then they heard the sound of dogs baying and a hunting party.

Suddenly on the path ahead appeared some white deer. Before Thorin could cry out three of the dwarves had leapt to their feet and loosed off arrows from their bows. None seemed to find their mark. The deer turned and vanished in the trees as silently as they had come, and in vain the dwarves shot their arrows after them.

"Stop! stop!" shouted Thorin; but it was too late, the excited dwarves had wasted their last arrows, and now the bows that Beorn had given them were useless.

They were a gloomy party that night, and the gloom gathered still deeper on them in the following days. They carried the heavy body of Bombur. In a few days a time came when there was practically nothing left to eat or to drink. Nothing wholesome could they see growing in the wood, only funguses and herbs with pale leaves and unpleasant smell.

About four days from the enchanted stream they came to a part where most of the trees were beeches. There was a greenish light about them, and in places they could see some distance to either side of the path. Yet the light only showed them endless lines of straight grey trunks like the pillars of some huge twilight hall.

Still Bombur slept and they grew very weary.

Two days later they found their path going downwards, and before long they were in a valley filled almost entirely with a mighty growth of oaks.

"Is there no end to this accursed forest?" said Thorin. "Somebody must climb a tree and see if he can get his head above the roof and have a look round. The only way is to choose the tallest tree that overhangs the path."

Of course "somebody" meant Dawn. And up she went. She pushed her way through the tangled twigs with many a slap in the eye; more than once she slipped and caught herself just in time; and at last, after a dreadful struggle in a difficult place where there seemed to be no convenient branches at all, she poked her head above the roof of leaves. Her eyes were nearly blinded by the light. She could hear the dwarves shouting up at her from far below. She looked around frowned for all she saw was a sea of dark green. There was no end to the forest.

Dawn climbed down full of despair. She knew unless they found their way out that their only hope lay in her amulet. Elrond has said it would bring her back to him. But he also said she could bring someone with her.

"The forest goes on for ever and ever and ever in all directions!" Dawn said. "I see two outcomes. We can try and see if we can find our way out. Or …" she held up the amulet. "My father gave this to me. He said it could return me to him at any time and I could take someone with me. The problem with that is it would take us back to Rivendell."

The dwarves nodded in understanding. On one hand they knew they were getting closer to the Lonely Mountain. On the other hand they could get out of the accursed forest. Both had their pitfalls. If they stayed in the forest they might be lost forever. But if they used Dawn's amulet they would be on the far side of the Misty Mountains again. And it would take a long time for them to get back to this point. In the end they decided to wait to use Dawn's amulet. If they could find their way out of the forest, good, if not then they would use the amulet.

That night they ate their very last scraps and crumbs of food; and next morning when they woke the first thing they noticed was that they were still gnawingly hungry, and the next thing was that it was raining and that here and there the drip of it was dropping heavily on the forest floor.

Just then Bombur woke up suddenly and sat up scratching his head as he remembered nothing of the last couple months other than the party in the Shire where they had met Dawn. And they had great difficulty in making him believe their tale of all the many adventures they had had since.

When Bombur heard that there was nothing to eat, he sat down and wept, for he felt very weak and wobbly in the legs. "Why ever did I wake up!" he cried. "I was having such beautiful dreams. I dreamed I was walking in a forest rather like this one, only lit with torches on the trees and lamps swinging from the branches and fires burning on the ground; and there was a great feast going on, going on forever. A woodland king was there with a crown of leaves, and there was a merry singing, and I could not count or describe the things there were to eat and drink."

"You need not try," said Thorin. "In fact if you can't talk about something else, you had better be silent. We are quite annoyed enough with you as it is. If you hadn't waked up, we should have left you to your idiotic dreams in the forest; you are no joke to carry even after weeks of short commons."

They then trudged along the track. Bombur wailed that his legs would not carry him, he was a tad bit weak after not eating for several days, and that he wanted to lie down and sleep.

"No you don't!" the dwarves said. "Let your legs take their share, we have carried you far enough."

All the same Bombur refused to go a step further and flung himself on the ground. "Go on, if you must," he said. "I'm just going to lie here and sleep and dream of food, if I can't get it any other way. I hope I never wake up again."

At that very moment Balin, who was a little way ahead, called out: "What was that? I thought I saw a twinkle of light in the forest."

They all looked, and a longish way off, it seemed, they saw a red twinkle in the dark; then another and another sprang out beside it. Even Bombur got up, and they hurried along then, not caring if it was trolls or goblins. The light was in front of them and to the left of the path, and when at last they had drawn level with it, it seemed plain that torches and fires were burning under the trees, but a good way off their track.

"It looks as if my dreams were coming true," gasped Bombur puffing up behind.

"A feast would be no good, if we never got back alive from it," said Thorin remembering the warnings of Beorn and Gandalf.

"But without a feast we shan't remain alive much longer anyway," said Bombur.

They argued about it backwards and forwards for a long while, until they agreed at length to send out a couple of spies, to creep near the lights and find out more about them. But then they could not agree on who was to be sent: but they could not agree on who as no one wanted to get lost further. So they all left the path and plunged into the forest together.

After a good deal of creeping and crawling they peered round the trunks and looked into a clearing where some trees had been felled and the ground levelled. There were many people there, elvish-looking folk eating and drinking and laughing merrily.

The smell of the roast meats was so enchanting that, without waiting to consult one another, every one of them got up and scrambled forwards into the ring with the one idea of begging for some food. No sooner had the first stepped into the clearing than all the lights went out as if by magic. Somebody kicked the fire and it went up in rockets of glittering sparks and vanished.

"It was a trick," Dawn said. "Like the water. And now …"

They turned around to look for the path and found it gone in the darkness of the night.

They then settled down to rest and Dawn was just beginning to close her eyes when Dori said in a loud whisper:

"The lights are coming out again over there, and there are more than ever of them."

Up they all jumped. There, sure enough, not far away were scores of twinkling lights, and they heard the voices and the laughter quite plainly. They crept slowly towards them, in a single line, each touching the back of the one in front. When they got near Thorin said: "No rushing forward this time! No one is to stir from hiding till I say. I shall send Ms. Summers alone first to talk to them. They won't be frightened of her since she is obviously of their people."

Dawn could see the reasoning and nodded, she was after all an elf now. But at the same time she had to wonder if this was not another trick. She hoped it wasn't as she went forward alone.

Just as she stepped into the light out they all went again and complete darkness fell.

If it had been difficult collecting themselves before, it was far worse this time. And the dwarves simply could not find Dawn. Every time they counted themselves it only made thirteen. They shouted and called: "Dawn Summers! Ariel! Daughter of Elrond! Daughter of Buffy! Dawn, confusticate you, where are you?"

There was no answer.

They were just giving up hope, when Dori stumbled across Dawn by sheer luck. In the dark he fell over what he thought was a log, and he found it was Dawn curled up fast asleep. It took a deal of shaking to wake her, and when she was awake she was not pleased at all.

"I was having such a lovely dream," Dawn grumbled, "all about having a most gorgeous dinner. But more than that I was home, I was home with Buffy."

"Good heavens! She has gone mad like Bombur," the dwarves said. "Don't tell us about dreams. Dream-dinners aren't any good, and we can't share them." Then they stopped. "You saw your mother?"

Dawn nodded, so her dream was not quite the same as Bombur's. Which gave them slight hope.

That was not the last of the lights in the forest. Later when the night must have been getting old, Kili who was watching then, came and roused them all again, saying:

"There's a regular blaze of light begun not far away—hundreds of torches and many fires must have been lit suddenly and by magic. And hark to the singing and the harps!"

After lying and listening for a while, they found they could not resist the desire to go nearer and try once more to get help. Up they got again; and this time the result was disastrous. Thorin stepped into the light this time and …

Dead silence fell in the middle of a word. Out went all light. The fires leaped up in black smokes.

Behind them Dawn had finally roused and when she noticed the dwarves gone she got to her feet. As dark as it was she knew she had to wait till morning before trying to search for them. So she sat down with her back to a tree as thoughts of home entered her mind. Then she felt something touch her. Something like a strong sticky string was against her left hand, and when she tried to move she found that her legs were already wrapped in the same stuff, so that when she got up she fell over.

Then a great spider, who had been busy tying her up while she dozed, came from behind her and came at her. Dawn was thankful that her right hand was still free as she grabbed her sword and unsheathed it. The spider jumped back, and Dawn had time to cut her legs loose. And then Dawn attacked. The spider tried to hurry away but Dawn managed to come up to it before it could disappear and plunged the sword between the creature's eyes.

Dawn let out a sigh of relief as she slid to the ground exhausted and fell asleep once more. When she woke this time there was the usual dim grey light of the forest-day about her. She got up and looked around. Now it was time to find the dwarves and hope they had not met the fate that had awaited her.

Dawn thought back on the night before. She then remembered what had roused her when she had found the dwarves gone, their cries. So closing her eyes she played back the memory and then turn in direction those cries had come from.

Dawn picked her way stealthily for some distance, when she noticed a place of dense black shadow ahead of her. As she drew nearer, she saw that it was made by spider-webs. And she saw more spiders such as the one she had killed. She put on the ring, thinking it best that they could not see her as she continued her search for the dwarves. Dawn watched the spiders for a moment and was about to leave when she realized they were speaking, about the dwarves!

"It was a sharp struggle, but worth it," said one. "What nasty thick skins they have to be sure, but I'll wager there is good juice inside."

"Aye, they'll make fine eating, when they've hung a bit," said another.

"Don't hang 'em too long," said a third. "They're not as fat as they might be. Been feeding none too well of late, I should guess."

"Kill 'em, I say," hissed a fourth; "kill 'em now and hang 'em dead for a while."

"They're dead now, I'll warrant," said the first.

"That they are not. I saw one a-struggling just now. Just coming round again, I should say, after a bee-autiful sleep. I'll show you."

Dawn looked around and nodded as she spotted the cocoons that held the dwarves

To the fattest of these bundles one of the spiders went and nipped hard at the nose that stuck out. There was a muffled yelp inside, and a toe shot up and kicked the spider straight and hard and the enraged spider fell off the branch, only catching itself with its own thread just in time.

The others laughed. "You were quite right," they said, "the meat's alive and kicking!"

"I'll soon put an end to that," hissed the angry spider climbing back onto the branch.

Dawn knew she had to do something and then smiled as a thought came to her. She remembered Gandalf and the goblins. But first she had to get their attention. She picked up a rock and threw it at the spider approaching the cocoon.

The stone struck the spider plunk on the head, and it dropped senseless off the tree, flop to the ground, with all its legs curled up. The next stone went whizzing through a big web, snapping its cords, and taking off the spider sitting in the middle of it, whack, dead.

After that there was a deal of commotion in the spider-colony, and they forgot the dwarves for a bit. As quick as lightning they came running and swinging towards Dawn, whom they could not see, flinging out their long threads in all directions, till the air seemed full of waving snares.

Dawn moved away from the snares and smiled as she pulled out her sword.

The spiders saw the sword and at once the whole lot of them came hurrying after Dawn along the ground and the branches, hairy legs waving, nippers and spinners snapping, eyes popping, full of froth and rage. They followed her into the forest until Dawn had gone as far as she dared. Then quieter than a mouse she stole back.

Dawn knew she had to work quick before the spiders returned. She removed her ring so the dwarves would know it was her and began using her sword to cut them loose. As Dawn finished with the last of the dwarves the spiders returned.

"Now we see you, you nasty little creature! We will eat you and leave your bones and skin hanging on a tree. Ugh! She's got a sting has she? Well, we'll get her all the same, and then we'll hang her head downwards for a day or two."

"I think not," Dawn said as she and the dwarves scrambled out of the webs.

Then the battle began. Some of the dwarves had knives, and some had sticks, and all of them could get at stones; and Dawn with her sword. Again and again the spiders were beaten off, and many of them were killed. The ones that were left hurried away into the darkness.

Soon after they made their way back through the forest and came to the edge of the ring where the elf-fires had been. Whether it was one of those they had seen the night before, they could not tell. But it seemed that some good magic lingered in such spots, which the spiders did not like. And so they lay there and rested.

All of a sudden Dwalin opened an eye, and looked round at them. "Where is Thorin?" he asked.


	9. Chapter 9: Barrels Out of Bond

**Chapter 9: Barrels Out of Bond**

The day after the battle with the spiders Dawn and the dwarves made one last despairing effort to find a way out before they died of hunger and thirst. They got up and staggered on in the direction which eight out of the thirteen of them guessed to be the one in which the path lay; but they never found out if they were right. Suddenly sprang the light of many torches all round them, like hundreds of red stars. Out leapt Wood-elves with their bows and spears and called them to halt.

There was no thought of a fight. Even if the dwarves had not been in such a state that they were actually glad to be captured, their small knives, the only weapons they had, would have been of no use against the arrows of the elves that could hit a bird's eye in the dark.

Dawn walked to the front of the dwarves and held up her amulet. "Do you recognize this?"

One of the wood-elves nodded. "Yes, my lady."

"Take us to whom you answer to," Dawn said.

The elves bound and blindfolded the dwarves in a long line, one behind the other and led them off. Only Dawn was left unbound and unblindfolded.

Dawn followed them into a cavern. The dwarves were led off in one direction, she in another. Soon she stood in front of Thranduil, the ruler of the wood-elves.

"Who do we have here?" he asked.

"I am Ariel," Dawn said as she held up her amulet. "Daughter of Elrond of Rivendell."

"My Lady," Thranduil said. "What were you doing in the company of dwarves? Were you their prisoner?"

"No," Dawn said. "I was not their prisoner. I accompany them on a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from Smaug. A quest that is approved of by my father, Elrond of Rivendell."

"And why was I not informed by Elrond that you intended to travel this way on your route to Erebor?" Thranduil asked.

"Events beyond our control led us astray," Dawn said. "After leaving my father's company. We were waylaid by goblins in the mountain pass. Then we were led astray by the fires in the woods. We would not have left the path if not for hunger."

"The fires you mention were made by my people," Thranduil said. "And we did not know your intentions."

"I apologize," Dawn said. "But if your people had not doused their fires so hastily we would have explained ourselves."

Thranduil nodded and then turned to an elf at his side. "Legolas take Lady Ariel to a room so that she can eat and rest. And make sure the dwarves are fed and watered as well." He looked back at Dawn. "We will continue this discussion tomorrow after you have rested."

Legolas led Dawn out of the hall and down a corridor.

"May I ask," Dawn said. "You look …"

"Like my father," Legolas said. "Yes, Thranduil, king of the woodland elves is my father."

Dawn stopped and looked at Legolas. "Tell me, Legolas. Does your father have a hatred towards dwarves?" she asked.

"Yes," Legolas said as he stopped and looked at Dawn. "But only because he fears that should the dwarves manage to wrest the Lonely Mountain away from Smaug that they would claim what is rightfully ours. There are treasures that Smaug has taken that belong to us."

"You don't share his opinion," Dawn said.

"No," Legolas said. "While there are treasures that belong to us in the Lonely Mountain. If the dwarves are honorable they would return them."

"They are honorable," Dawn said. "Please help me to free them."

Legolas thought long and hard and slowly nodded. "This way," he said as he led Dawn down another tunnel.

They came upon Thorin first.

Thorin was not the least bit surprised to find Dawn standing before his cell.

"Thorin," Dawn said as she hugged the dwarf as Legolas let him out.

"We must flee," Thorin said.

"Agreed," Dawn said.

Thorin looked to Legolas and then back at Dawn. "Can he …"

"I can be trusted," Legolas said. "I do not agree with my father's thinking. He is afraid you will claim the treasure within for yourself and not return what Smaug had stolen from us."

"And you do not think that way?" Thorin asked.

"No," Legolas said.

"I know it will put us at an odd number," Dawn said. "But since helping us, pits Legolas against his father. I would like him to accompany us on our quest."

Thorin thought about it as they released the other dwarves and then nodded. "He may come. For how can I deny your request Ms. Summers for if not for you we would likely rot in those cells."

"This way," Legolas said after a moment's thought. Dawn had been right he was sure; this would pit him against his father. "The gates will be guarded. You would never escape that way. But there is another exit. An underground stream flows beneath these caverns. It is a route we use when shipping empty barrels to a merchant downstream. If we use the empty barrels as rafts. Then we could escape that way."

"We shall be bruised and battered to pieces, and drowned too, for certain!" the dwarves muttered. "We thought you had got some sensible notion, Ms. Summers when you got this lad to let us out. This is a mad idea!"

"Very well!" said Dawn very downcast, and also rather annoyed. "Go along back to your nice cells, and Legolas will lock you all in again, and you can sit there comfortably and think of a better plan. But don't suppose Legolas shall let you out again, even if he or I feel inclined to try."

That was too much for the dwarves, and they calmed down. In the end, of course, they had to do just what Legolas suggested, because it was obviously impossible for them to get past the guards in the upper halls. So following Legolas, they went down into the lowest cellars.

There was little time to lose. Before long the elves would find the dwarves gone and herself as well and come looking. And so they got enough wine barrels for the dwarves, Legolas and Dawn both would have to ride them as if they were rafts.

Only a minute or two after Balin's lid had been fitted on there came the sound of voices and the flicker of lights. A number of elves came laughing and talking into the cellars and singing snatches of song. They had left a merry feast in one of the halls and were bent on returning as soon as they could.

"Where's old Galion, the butler?" said one. "I haven't seen him at the tables tonight. He ought to be here now to show us what is to be done."

"We must hurry," Legolas whispered. "They are coming not in search of us but to do exactly what we are about to do ourselves."

Dawn pulled a level opening a trap door and she and Legolas pushed the barrels into the water. As the elves came into view from the other room they hopped through the trap door on the last two barrels.

Out they went under the overhanging branches of the trees on either bank.


	10. Chapter 10: A Warm Welcome

**Chapter 10: A Warm Welcome**

After a while the river rounded a steep shoulder of land that came down upon their left.

Then Dawn saw it straight ahead and smiled.

"That is the Lonely Mountain," Legolas said having spotted what Dawn was staring at. "Can I ask you something?" Dawn nodded. "Back in my father's caverns. The dwarves called you Ms. Summers."

"My birth name is Dawn Summers. I am actually half-elf. My mother is human," Dawn said.

Legolas nodded as he looked toward Dawn. "Then she is …"

"A very long and difficult story," Dawn said. "You see I was not actually born on this world. I wasn't actually even born. I was created with magic to hide this thing called the Key. The monks that created me used my sister/mother's blood and somehow reached into this world and took a sample of my father's blood. That is how I am a daughter of Elrond. And the reason I refer to my mother as sister/mother is because I was given the memories of being her sister. So she is a little bit of each."

"So your mother still lives," Legolas said. He was not the wisest of the elves but he had heard of elves who had traveled to other dimensions. Some similar to Middle Earth and some radically different. He decided it was within the realm of possibility that Dawn was telling the truth.

"Yes," Dawn said.

After a while the river took a more southerly course and the Mountain receded again, and at last, late in the day the shores grew rocky, the river gathered all its wandering waters together into a deep and rapid flood, and they swept along at great speed.

Not far from the mouth of the Forest River was a town built on the surface of the lake, protected from the swirl of the entering river by a promontory of rock which formed a calm bay.

As soon as the raft of barrels came in sight of the town boats rowed out from the piles and gathered the barrels up on the dock. They were surprised when they saw Legolas and Dawn.

"Who are you?" one of the men asked.

"I am Legolas, son of Thranduil," Legolas said. "Leave the barrels for now. I want to make sure they arrived in one piece."

The workers quickly left and under the cover of night Legolas and Dawn opened the barrels letting the dwarves out.

"Well! Here we are!" said Thorin. "And I suppose we ought to thank our stars and Legolas, son of Thranduil, and Ms. Summers. I am sure they had a right to expect it, though I wish they could have arranged a more comfortable journey. No doubt we shall feel properly grateful, when we are fed and recovered. In the meanwhile what next?"

"I suggest Lake-town," said Legolas. "What else is there?"

Nothing else could, of course, be suggested; so leaving the others Thorin, Fili, Kili, Legolas and Dawn went along the shore to the great bridge. There were guards at the head of it as they walked up.

"Who are you and what do you want?" the guards shouted leaping to their feet and groping for weapons.

"I am Legolas," Legolas said. "You know of my father, Thranduil of the woodland elves."

"I am Ariel," Dawn said, "Daughter of Elrond of Rivendell."

"Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King under the Mountain!" said Thorin. "I have come back. I wish to see the Master of your town!"

The captain of the guard came forward. "And who are these?" he asked, pointing to Fili and Kili.

"The sons of my father's daughter," answered Thorin, "Fili and Kili of the race of Durin."

"If you come in peace lay down your arms!" said the captain.

Legolas lay down his bow.

Dawn's sword was hidden beneath her clothes. Buffy had taught her that to not have a stake handy was to be food for a vampire. The same thinking applied here so it like the ring she had found remained hidden.

"We have none," said Thorin. "We have no need of weapons, who return at last to our own as spoken of old. Nor could we fight against so many. Take us to your master!"

"He is at feast," said the captain.

"I believe he would make an exception for the son of Thranduil, the daughter of Elrond and the King under the Mountain," said Legolas.

"Follow me then," said the captain, and with six men about them he led them over the bridge through the gates and into the market-place of the town. From one great hall shone many lights and there came the sound of many voices. They passed its doors and stood blinking in the light looking at long tables filled with folk.

"I am Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King under the Mountain! I return!" cried Thorin in a loud voice from the door, before the captain could say anything.

"I am Legolas, son of Thranduil of the woodland elves," Legolas said.

"And I am Ariel, daughter of Elrond of Rivendell," Dawn said.

All leaped to their feet. The Master of the town sprang from his great chair. But none rose in greater surprise than the several who were sitting at the lower end of the hall. They had come to tell the Master of the town about the dwarves that had escaped. Pressing forward before the Master's table they cried:

"These dwarves are prisoners of our king that escaped, wandering vagabond dwarves that could not give any good account of themselves, sneaking through the woods and molesting our people!"

The elves did not mention of course either Dawn or Legolas in their claim. They would not risk the wrath of Thranduil in implicating his son in the escape. Nor would they risk the wrath of Elrond of Rivendell in implicating Dawn.

"Is this true?" asked the Master.

"My father wrongfully waylaid these fine people," Legolas said. "Besides this town is not within my father's realm. We speak to the Master of the town of the Men of the Lake, not to my father's people."

Then the Master hesitated and looked from one to the other, finally he nodded. Soon afterwards the other dwarves were brought into the town amid scenes of astonishing enthusiasm. They were all doctored and fed and housed and pampered in the most delightful and satisfactory fashion. A large house was given up to Thorin and his company; boats and rowers were put at their service; and crowds sat outside and sang songs all day, or cheered if any dwarf showed so much as his nose.

Within a week they were quite recovered, fitted out in fine cloth of their proper colors, with beards combed and trimmed, and proud steps. Thorin looked and walked as if his kingdom was already regained and Smaug chopped up into little pieces.

At the end of a fortnight Thorin began to think of departure. While the enthusiasm still lasted in the town was the time to get help. It would not do to let everything cool down with delay. So he spoke with the Master, his councilors and Legolas and said that soon he and his company must go on towards the Mountain.

Despite Dawn's objections Legolas said he intended to stay at her side as her protection. In that fortnight he had grown to love Dawn quite a bit, and Dawn had come to love him. He told Dawn of his life, their customs, and why she was referred to as Lady Ariel. Elrond was an Elven Lord, he said, despite the fact that he did not flaunt his title or position like Legolas' own father did. And as Elrond's daughter she received the same recognition as her father. And Dawn told him of her life in Sunnydale, especially of Buffy.

"Certainly, O Thorin, Thrain's son, Thror's son!" the Master said. "You must claim your own. The hour is at hand, spoken of old. What help we can offer shall be yours, and we trust to your gratitude when your kingdom is regained."

So one day three large boats left Lake-town, laden with rowers, dwarves, Dawn and Legolas, and many provisions. Horses and ponies had been sent round by circuitous paths to meet them at their appointed landing-place.


	11. Chapter 11: On the Doorstep

**Chapter 11: On the Doorstep**

After two days of rowing they could see the Lonely Mountain towering grim and tall before them. At the end of the third day they drew in to the left or western bank and disembarked. Here they were joined by the horses with other provisions and necessaries and the ponies, and two more horses, for their own use that had been sent to meet them. They packed what they could on the ponies and the rest was made into a store under a tent, but none of the men of the town would stay with them even for the night so near the shadow of the Mountain.

"Not at any rate until the songs have come true!" said they. So their escort left them, making off swiftly back toward Lake Town.

The next day they set out again. Legolas and Dawn rode behind, each leading a pony heavily laden beside them; the others were some way ahead picking out a slow road, for there were no paths.

It was a weary journey, and a quiet and stealthy one. They reached the skirts of the Mountain without meeting any danger or any sign of the Dragon other than the wilderness he had made about his lair. The Mountain lay dark and silent before them and ever higher above them. They made their first camp on the western side of the great southern spur.

Before setting out to search the western spurs of the Mountain for the hidden door, Thorin sent out a scouting expedition to spy out the land to the South where the Front

Gate stood. For this purpose he chose Balin and Fili and Kili, and with them went Dawn and Legolas. They marched under the grey and silent cliffs to the edge of a valley.

"There lies all that is left of Dale," said Balin pointing toward the ruins of a city in the valley. "The mountain's sides were green with woods and all the sheltered valley rich and pleasant in the days when the bells rang in that town."

They made their way around toward the front gate until they could look out and see the dark cavernous opening in a great cliff-wall between the arms of the Mountain. Out of it the waters of the Running River sprang; and out of it too there came a steam and a dark smoke. Nothing moved in the waste, save the vapour and the water.

"Let us return!" Balin said with a shudder. "We can do no good here!"

"It looks like the dragon may definitely be in there," Dawn said. "By the looks of the smoke."

"That does not prove it," said Balin, "though I don't doubt you are right. But he might be gone away some time, or he might be lying out on the mountain-side keeping watch, and still I expect smokes and steams would come out of the gates: all the halls within must be filled with his foul reek."

"What we, the elves, have learned of our journey to the edges of Smaug's territory," Legolas said. "Is that Smaug rarely leaves the halls of Erebor. And when he does it is to mostly feed or to pillage and gather more treasure."

They made their way back to the camp. They moved their camp then to the western slope where the secret door was thought to be. Day by day they toiled in parties searching for paths up the mountain-side. If the map was true, somewhere high above the cliff at the valley's head must stand the secret door. Day by day they came back to their camp without success.

But at last unexpectedly they found what they were seeking. Fili, Kili, Legolas and Dawn went back one day down the valley and scrambled among the tumbled rocks at its southern corner. About midday, creeping behind a great stone that stood alone like a pillar, Dawn and Legolas came on what looked like rough steps going upwards. Following these excitedly they and the dwarves found traces of a narrow track, often lost, often rediscovered, that wandered on to the top of the southern ridge and brought them at last to a still narrower ledge, which turned north across the face of the Mountain. Looking down they saw that they were at the top of the cliff at the valley's head and were gazing down on to their own camp below. No sign was there of post or lintel or threshold, nor any sign of bar or bolt or key-hole; yet they did not doubt that they had found the door at last.

They beat on it, they thrust and pushed at it, they implored it to move and yet it did not budge. At last tired out they rested on the grass at its feet, and then at evening began their long climb down.

There was excitement in the camp that night. In the morning they prepared to move once more. Only Bofur and Bombur were left behind to guard the ponies, horses and such stores as they had brought with them from the river. The others went down the valley and up the newly found path, and so to the ledge.

There they made their third camp. They explored the ledge beyond the opening and found a path that led higher and higher on to the mountain; but they did not dare to venture very far that way, nor was there much use in it. The dwarves tried the secret of the door and had no more success than Fili, Kili, Dawn and Legolas had. They tried to use what tools they had brought with them to open the door and that did not work either.

Legolas sat beside Dawn as she looked at the map. "Let me see," he said as she handed him the map.

"Tomorrow begins the last week of autumn," said Thorin.

"And winter comes after autumn," said Bifur.

"And next year after that," said Dwalin, "and our beards will grow till they hang down the cliff to the valley before anything happens here. What is our burglar …"

"Ah, ha," Legolas said as he smiled.

"What," the dwarves said.

"Dawn," Legolas said, "what was the line about the thrush."

"Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks, and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the key-hole," Dawn said. "Why?"

Legolas turned and smiled at Thorin. "The keyhole will present itself at that exact moment. Not before and not after. It is only seen at that time once a year."

And so they waited as the sun turned west. As the sun began to dip, Legolas walked over to the door and found there was a pale and faint thin new moon above the rim of Earth. He listened and heard a sharp crack. Then he spotted it on the grey stone in the grass was an enormous thrush. Crack! It had caught a snail and was knocking it on the stone. Crack! Crack!

"Bring the key," Legolas said as Dawn and the dwarves, even Bofur and Bombur, gathered around him. "Now wait. As the sun sets the keyhole will be shown."

The sun sank lower and lower and finally sank into a belt of reddened cloud and disappeared. Then suddenly a red ray of the sun escaped like a finger through a rent in the cloud. A gleam of light came straight through the opening into the bay and fell on the smooth rock-face. The old thrush gave a sudden trill. There was a loud crack. A flake of rock split from the wall and fell. A hole appeared suddenly about three feet from the ground.

Thorin stepped up and drew the key on its chain from round his neck. He put it to the hole. It fitted and it turned! Snap! The gleam went out, the sun sank, the moon was gone, and evening sprang into the sky.

Now they all pushed together, and slowly a part of the rock-wall gave way. Long straight cracks appeared and widened. A door five feet high and three broad was outlined, and slowly without a sound swung inwards. It seemed as if darkness flowed out like a vapour from the hole in the mountain-side, and deep darkness in which nothing could be seen lay before their eyes, a yawning mouth leading in and down.


	12. Chapter 12: Inside Information

**Chapter 12: Inside Information**

For a long time the dwarves stood in the dark before the door and debated, until at last Thorin spoke:

"Now is the time for our esteemed Ms. Summers, who has proved herself a good companion on our long road, and an elf full of courage and resource, and if I may say so possessed of good luck far exceeding the usual allowance—now is the time for her to perform the service for which she was included in our Company; now is the time for her to earn her Reward."

Dawn looked to Legolas. "As it is," he said, "I can't fit without crawling down that tunnel. You will have to bend but just slightly. Besides you did sign a contract did you not? And an Elf's word is his or her bond."

Dawn sighed and nodded and she bent low enough to enter and made her way down the tunnel. As she turned a corner in the tunnel she slipped on the ring. Soon it felt as it was getting warm and she noticed a glow coming from ahead.

Wisps of vapor floated up and past her and she began to perspire as the heat was growing the closer she came to the glow. A sound, too, began to throb in her ears, a sort of bubbling like the noise of a large pot galloping on the fire, mixed with a rumble as of a cat purring. This grew to the unmistakable gurgling noise of some vast animal snoring in its sleep down there in the red glow in front of her.

Dawn came out of the tunnel and before he lay Smaug, fast asleep. She had seen only one dragon before and that was the one that flew out of the portal before she had jumped. To see Smaug now made her slightly tremble with fear. She then saw the mounds of treasure the dragon had horded and remembered what Thorin and the dwarves had asked her to do.

Dawn moved from the shadow of the doorway, across the floor to the nearest edge of the mounds of treasure. She grasped a cup and cast one fearful eye upwards. Smaug stirred a wing, opened a claw, the rumble of his snoring changed its note.

Then Dawn fled. But the dragon did not wake. She proceeded to make her way back outside.

Legolas was overjoyed to see Dawn again. He picked her up and swung her around before they turned to face the dwarves. She presented the cup to the dwarves who smiled.

Suddenly a vast rumbling woke in the mountain underneath as if it was an old volcano that had made up its mind to start eruptions once again. The door behind them was pulled nearly to, and blocked from closing with a stone, but up the long tunnel came the dreadful echoes, from far down in the depths, of a bellowing and a trampling that made the ground beneath them tremble.

They knew Smaug was still to be reckoned with. Then they looked at Dawn and realized what happened. By taking even the cup, Smaug had realized someone had been there. For dragons typically knew how much they had down to the single ounce.

If the dwarves could see the front gate from where they were they would have seen Smaug come out of it, not that they needed see him to know that he was awake and now perched on the side of the mountain looking for the person who had taken the cup. The dwarves crouched against the walls of the ledge cringing under boulders, hoping somehow to escape the frightful eyes of the hunting dragon.

There they would have all been killed, if it had not been for Dawn. "Quick! Quick!" she said. "The door! The tunnel! It's no good here."

Roused by these words they were just about to creep inside the tunnel when Bifur gave a cry: "My cousins! Bombur and Bofur—we have forgotten them, they are down in the valley!"

"They will be slain, and all our ponies too, and all our stores lost," moaned the others. "We can do nothing."

"Nonsense!" said Thorin, recovering his dignity. "We cannot leave them. Get inside Ms. Summers, Legolas, son of Thranduil, Balin and you two Fili and Kili—the dragon shan't have all of us. Now you others where are the ropes? Be quick!"

Dawn, Legolas, Balin, Fili and Kili made their way into the tunnel. The dwarves, including Bombur and Bofur joined them seconds later pulling and dragging in their bundles as Smaug came hurtling from the North, licking the mountain-sides with flame, beating his great wings with a noise like a roaring wind. Then darkness fell as he passed again. The ponies screamed with terror, burst their ropes and galloped wildly off. The dragon swooped and turned to pursue them, and was gone.

"That'll be the end of our poor beasts!" said Thorin. "Nothing can escape Smaug once he sees it. Here we are and here we shall have to stay, unless any one fancies tramping the long open miles back to the river with Smaug on the watch!"

It was not a pleasant thought! They crept further down the tunnel, and there they lay and shivered though it was warm and stuffy, until dawn came pale through the crack of the door.

When morning came the terror of the dwarves grew less. They realized that dangers of this kind were inevitable in dealing with such a guardian, and that it was no good giving up their quest yet. They debated long on what was to be done, but they could think of no way of getting rid of Smaug.

Dawn suggested that she go back down and see if Smaug had returned and what he might be doing. The dwarves agreed, though Legolas had not. At least not till she revealed the existence, to him and the dwarves, of the ring.

When midday came Dawn got ready for another journey down into the Mountain. The sun was shining when she started, but it was as dark as night in the tunnel. The light from the door, almost closed, soon faded as she went down.

Smaug looked fast asleep as Dawn looked at him from the shadow of the tunnel. But asleep he was not. "Well, thief! I smell you and I feel your air. I hear your breath. Come along! Help yourself again, there is plenty and to spare!"

"No thanks," Dawn said as she tried to think of a way out of her new predicament and then smiled. "I did not come for presents. I only wished to have a look at you and see if you were truly as great as tales say. I did not believe them."

"Do you now?" said the dragon somewhat flattered, even though he did not believe a word of it.

"Truly songs and tales fall utterly short of the reality," Dawn replied as she decided to throw caution to the wind and add some more pride to the dragon. "Smaug the Chiefest and Greatest of Calamities."

"You have nice manners for a thief and a liar," said the dragon. "You seem familiar with my name, but I don't seem to remember smelling you before. Who are you and where do you come from, may I ask?"

"Sunnydale, California," Dawn said. "I was not born on your world."

"I see," Smaug said. "I have heard of portals that lead to other worlds. Yet I have never used one myself. Anyways you still have not revealed your name to me."

"For good reason," Dawn said. "For if you knew, then you would know of whom I am. And knowing that you would have power over me for you would know who my family are."

"True," Smaug said. "Quite true. But I know this much. There is but one way you came to get here. From the Lake Town. I haven't been down that way for an age and an age; but I will soon alter that!"

"Very well!" he said aloud. "And I know the horses and ponies I ate were yours as you would not have walked all that way. In return for the excellent meal I will give you one piece of advice for your good: don't have more to do with dwarves than you can help!"

"Dwarves!" said Dawn in pretended surprise.

"Don't talk to me!" said Smaug. "I know the smell (and taste) of dwarf—no one better. Don't tell me that I can eat a dwarf-ridden pony and not know it! You'll come to a bad end, if you go with such friends. I don't mind if you go back and tell them so from me."

"I suppose you got a fair price for that cup?" he went on. "Come now, did you? Nothing at all! Well, that's just like them. And I suppose they are skulking outside, and your job is to do all the dangerous work and get what you can when I'm not looking—for them? And you will get a fair share? Don't you believe it! If you get off alive, you will be lucky."

Dawn smiled. "You don't know everything, Smaug," said he. "Not gold alone brought us here."

"Ha! Ha! You admit the 'us'" laughed Smaug. "Why not say 'us fifteen' and be done with it, elf? Yes I can smell that you are elf but I can also smell you are human as well. Anyways I am pleased to hear that you had other business in these parts besides my gold. In that case you may, perhaps, not altogether waste your time."

"I don't know if it has occurred to you that, even if you could steal the gold bit by bit—a matter of a hundred years or so—you could not get it very far? Not much use on the mountain-side? Not much use in the forest? Bless me! Had you never thought of the catch? A fifteenth share, I suppose, or something like it, those were the terms, eh?"

"Actually fourteenth," Dawn said. "My elf friend was not part of the original party. He joined as my protector and only as that."

"Ah," Smaug said. "Then a fourteenth share. But what about delivery? What about cartage? What about armed guards and tolls?" And Smaug laughed aloud.

"I tell you," Dawn said, "that gold was only an afterthought with us. We came for _Revenge_. Surely, Smaug, you must realize that your success has made you some bitter enemies?"

Then Smaug really did laugh.

"Revenge!" he snorted, and the light of his eyes lit the hall from floor to ceiling like scarlet lightning. "Revenge! The King under the Mountain is dead and where are his kin that dare seek revenge? Girion Lord of Dale is dead, and I have eaten his people like a wolf among sheep, and where are his sons' sons that dare approach me? I kill where I wish and none dare resist. I laid low the warriors of old and their like is not in the world today. Then I was but young and tender. Now I am old and strong, strong, strong, Thief in the Shadows!" he gloated. "My armor is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords, my claws spears, the shock of my tail a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane, and my breath death!"

"I have always understood," said Dawn as she baited the dragon hoping to discover its weakness, which she hoped it might have, "that dragons were softer underneath, especially in the region of the chest; but doubtless one so fortified has thought of that."

The dragon stopped short in his boasting. "Your information is antiquated," he snapped. "I am armored above and below with iron scales and hard gems. No blade can pierce me."

"I might have guessed it," said Dawn. "Truly there can nowhere be found the equal of you. What magnificence to possess a waistcoat of fine diamonds!"

"Yes, it is rare and wonderful, indeed," said Smaug absurdly pleased and rolled over. "Look! What do you say to that?"

"Dazzlingly marvellous! Perfect! Flawless! Staggering!" exclaimed Dawn aloud as she smirked as she spotted it. The way to kill Smaug. There was a large patch in the hollow of the dragon's left breast as bare as a snail out of its shell!

"Well, I really must not detain you any longer," Dawn said, "or keep you from much needed rest. Ponies and horses take some catching, I believe, after a long start." She darted back and fled up the tunnel.

But Smaug had no intention letting Dawn escape. He spouted terrific flames after her, and fast though she sped up the slope, she had not gone nearly far enough to be comfortable before the ghastly head of Smaug was thrust against the opening behind. Luckily the whole head and jaws could not squeeze in, but the nostrils sent forth fire and vapour to pursue her, and she was nearly overcome, and stumbled blindly on in great pain and fear.

The afternoon was turning into evening when Dawn came out again and stumbled and fell in a faint on the 'doorstep'.

Legolas was once at her side as he went to revive her and doctored the burns she had received from Smaug.

The dwarves wanted to know what happened but Dawn did not answer as she looked toward the thrush. It was still there, why?

"I've never seen a bird stay in one spot. Are we near its nesting ground?" Dawn asked.

Thorin nodded. "Thrushes are an ancient breed that used to live about here, tame to the hands of my father and grandfather. They were a long-lived and magical race, and this might even be one of those that were alive then, a couple of hundreds of years or more ago. The Men of Dale used to have the trick of understanding their language, and used them for messengers to fly to the Men of the Lake and elsewhere."

"If that is true," Dawn said. "He must fly now to Lake Town. For Smaug has reasoned we stopped there on our journey. I have a horrible feeling that his next move may be in that direction."

Dawn then told of her conversation with the dragon and even told of what she had learned of its weakness. Then mysteriously the thrust flew off.

"Now, I am sure we are very unsafe here," Dawn said, "Smaug likely can reason just as easy where the other end of this tunnel is. It is very possible that he could collapse this side of the Mountain to bits, if necessary, to stop up our entrance, and if we are smashed with it the better he will like it."

"You are very gloomy, Ms. Summers!" said Thorin. "Why has not Smaug blocked the lower end, then, if he is so eager to keep us out? He has not, or we should have heard him."

"I don't know, I don't know," Dawn said. "There could be any number of reasons. Maybe to entice me back. Maybe so he doesn't damage his bedroom. Regardless of why the possibility still remains that he will find the entrance from this side and make sure that no one else can get in."

The dwarves and Legolas could see in Dawn's eyes that she believed what she said was true. So with some delay they shut the door. Then they moved a slight ways down the tunnel and sat there for a while.

The talk turned to the dragon's wicked words about the dwarves.

"We knew it would be a desperate venture," said Thorin, "and we know that still; and I still think that when we have won it will be time enough to think what to do about it. As for your share, Ms. Summers, I assure you we are more than grateful and you shall choose your own fourteenth, as soon as we have anything to divide."

"That will not be necessary," Dawn said. "I only want a small token to remember the journey. I cannot use the gold below when I return home for our money is different than yours. That said when you find it I ask that you give to Legolas the gems that Smaug had stolen from his people."

"That can be arranged," Thorin said with a nod to Legolas.

From that the talk turned to the great hoard itself and to the things that Thorin and Balin remembered.

"The Arkenstone! The Arkenstone!" murmured Thorin. "It was like a globe with a thousand facets; it shone like silver in the firelight, like water in the sun, like snow under the stars, like rain upon the Moon!"

Legolas nodded as he looked to Dawn. "The Arkenstone, was the sign of the King under the Mountain. If Thorin can find it, it will legitimize his claim."

Just then a blow smote the side of the Mountain like the crash of battering-rams made of forest oaks and swung by giants. The rock boomed, the walls cracked and stones fell from the roof on their heads.

"We're not far enough away," Dawn said. "Move!"

They fled further down the tunnel glad to be still alive, while behind them outside they heard the roar and rumble of Smaug's fury. He was breaking rocks to pieces, smashing wall and cliff with the lashings of his huge tail, till their little lofty camping ground, the scorched grass, the thrush's stone, the snail-covered walls, the narrow ledge, and all disappeared in a jumble of smithereens, and an avalanche of splintered stones fell over the cliff into the valley below.


	13. Chapter 13: Not at Home

**Chapter 13: Not at Home**

The dwarves made down the tunnel, knowing that the only way out now was to go through the hall, below. Hopefully Smaug was not waiting for them.

"Now do be careful!" whispered Legolas, "and as quiet as you can be! We know not whether Smaug is there or not. So let us take no unnecessary risks!"

Down they went. Near the bottom, they stopped. "Stay here," Dawn said as she slipped on the ring. "I will have a look and see if Smaug is there."

She he did not need the ring for the darkness was complete. Her elvish eyesight raked the area. Smaug was not there. She then spotted a pale white glint, above her and far off in the gloom. She smiled, she was sure that was the Arkenstone.

"It's alright," Dawn said. "He is gone. Can somebody make a light?"

Thorin sent Oin and Gloin back to their bundles at the top of the tunnel.

As Dawn waited for the dwarves she made her way to the gilnt. Soon she stood upon the top of a large mound and bent down and picked up the gem she had found, the Arkenstone, the Heart of the Mountain. She had been right. She returned to the bottom just as the dwarves and Legolas entered from the tunnel.

Dawn looked at Thorin and for a moment she hesitated even telling him she had found the Arkenstone . She looked to Legolas and pulled him aside. "I found the Arkenstone," she whispered.

Legolas looked at Dawn in surprise and then nodded as he looked to the dwarves. He remembered how they had been when Dawn had returned the cup to them. He also remembered the light in Thorin's eyes when he mentioned the Arkenstone.

The dwarves were eager to explore the hall while they had the chance. Each now gripped a lighted torch.

Dawn and Legolas watched as Thorin searched. They were sure he was searching for the Arkenstone. They agreed that Dawn had been right in not revealing its existence to Thorin, at least not yet.

The dwarves found the armory and took down mail and weapons from the walls, and armed themselves. Royal indeed did Thorin look, clad in a coat of gold-plated rings, with a silver-hafted axe in a belt crusted with scarlet stones.

"Ms. Summers!" he cried. "Here is your token! Put this on!"

With that Dawn put on a coat of mail.

"Mithril," Legolas said. "That was not taken from my people. But it was made by elves. It is as strong as steel and can protect you from much."

"Thorin!" Dawn said. "What next? We are armed, but what good will armor do against Smaug? This treasure is not yet won back. We are not looking for gold yet, but for a way of escape; and we have tempted luck too long!"

"You speak the truth!" answered Thorin, recovering his wits. "Let us go! I will guide you. Not in a thousand years should I forget the ways of this palace." Then he hailed the others, and they gathered together, and holding their torches above their heads they passed through the gaping doors at the other end of the hall, not without many a backward glance of longing.

One by one they walked behind Thorin, a line of lights in the darkness that halted often, listening for any rumor of the dragon's coming.

Though all the old adornments were long moldered or destroyed, and though all was befouled and blasted with the comings and goings of the monster, Thorin knew every passage and every turn. They climbed long stairs, and turned and went down wide echoing ways, and turned again and climbed yet more stairs, and yet more stairs again.

A white glimmer could be seen coming through some opening far above, and the air smelt sweeter. Before them light came dimly through great doors, that hung twisted on their hinges and half burnt.

"This is the great chamber of Thror," said Thorin; "the hall of feasting and of council. Not far off now is the Front Gate."

They passed through the ruined chamber. As they came through yet more doors at the further end, a sound of water fell upon their ears, and the grey light grew suddenly more full.

"There is the birth of the Running River," said Thorin. "From here it hastens to the Gate. Let us follow it!"

Before them the water fell noisily outward and foamed down towards the valley. They flung their pale torches to the ground, and stood gazing out with dazzled eyes. They were come to the Front Gate, and were looking out upon Dale.

"Well!" said Dawn, "I never expected to be looking out of this door. And I never expected to be so pleased to see the sun again, and to feel the wind on my face. You know I wonder where Smaug is. He could be watching us, waiting to step out into the open."

"We must move away from here," said Dori. "I feel as if his eyes were on the back of my head."

They made their way down the mountain to an old watchtower. All the while on the lookout for Smaug.

"Here," said Balin when they reached the watchtower, "in the old days we used always to keep watchmen, and that door behind leads into a rockhewn chamber that was made here as a guardroom.

"Not much use, if we have been seen coming here," said Dori, who was always looking up towards the Mountain's peak, as if he expected to see Smaug perched there like a bird on a steeple.

"We must take our chance of that," said Thorin. "We can go no further to-day."

In the rock-chamber there would have been room for a hundred, and there was a small chamber further in, more removed from the cold outside. It was quite deserted; not even wild animals seemed to have used it in all the days of Smaug's dominion. There they laid their burdens; and some threw themselves down at once and slept, but the others sat near the outer door and discussed their plans. In all their talk they came perpetually back to one thing: where was Smaug? They looked West and there was nothing, and East there was nothing, and in the South there was no sign of the dragon, but there was a gathering of very many birds. At that they gazed and wondered; but they were no nearer understanding it, when the first cold stars came out.


	14. Chapter 14: The Gathering of the Clouds

**Chapter 14: The Gathering of the Clouds**

All night one of them had watched, but when morning came they had not heard or seen any sign of danger. But ever more thickly the birds were gathering.

"Something strange is happening," said Thorin. "The time has gone for the autumn wanderings; and these are birds that dwell always in the land; there are starlings and flocks of finches; and far off there are many carrion birds as if a battle were afoot!"

Suddenly Dawn pointed: "There is the thrush again!"

The thrush flew towards them and perched on a stone nearby. Then he fluttered his wings and sang; then he cocked his head on one side, as if to listen; and again he sang, and again he listened.

"I believe he is trying to tell us something," said Balin; "but I cannot follow the speech of such birds, it is very quick and difficult. Can you make it out Summers?"

"No," Dawn said. "Legolas?"

"I am afraid not," Legolas said. "But he does seem excited."

"I only wish he was a raven!" said Balin. "There used to be great friendship between them and the people of Thror; and they often brought us secret news, and were rewarded with such bright things as they coveted to hide in their dwellings."

"They live many a year, and their memories are long, and they hand on their wisdom to their children. I knew many among the ravens of the rocks when I was a dwarf-lad. This very height was once named Ravenhill, because there was a wise and famous pair, old Carc and his wife, that lived here above the guard-chamber. But I don't suppose that any of that ancient breed linger here now."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the thrush gave a loud call, and immediately flew away.

"We may not understand him, but that bird understands us, I am sure," said Balin. "Keep watch now, and see what happens!"

Before long there was a fluttering of wings, and back came the thrush; and with him came a most decrepit old bird. He was getting blind, he could hardly fly, and the top of his head was bald. He was an aged raven of great size. He alighted stiffly on the ground before them, slowly flapped his wings, and bobbed towards Thorin.

"O Thorin, son of Thrain, and Balin, son of Fundin," he croaked. "I am Roäc son of Carc. Carc is dead, but he was well known to you once. It is a hundred years and three and fifty since I came out of the egg, but I do not forget what my father told me. Now I am the chief of the great ravens of the Mountain. We are few, but we remember still the king that was of old. Most of my people are abroad, for there are great tidings in the South—some are tidings of joy to you, and some you will not think so good. Behold! The birds are gathering back again to the Mountain and to Dale from South and East and West, for word has gone out that Smaug is dead!"

"Dead! Dead?" shouted the dwarves. "Dead! Then we have been in needless fear—and the treasure is ours!" They all sprang up and began to caper about for joy.

"Yes, dead," said Roäc. "The thrush, may his feathers never fall, saw him die, and we may trust his words. He saw him fall in battle with the men of Esgaroth the third night back from now at the rising of the moon. So much for joy, Thorin Oakenshield. You may go back to your halls in safety; all the treasure is yours—for the moment. But many are gathering hither beside the birds. The news of the death of the guardian has already gone far and wide, and the legend of the wealth of Thror has not lost in the telling during many years; many are eager for a share of the spoil. Already a host of the elves is on the way."

"I am Legolas, son of Thranduil. Is the host of elves, by any chance my father's?"

"They are," Roac said as he turned back to Thorin. "The carrion birds are hoping for battle and slaughter. By the lake men murmur that their sorrows are due to the dwarves; for they are homeless and many have died, and Smaug has destroyed their town. They too think to find amends from your treasure, whether you are alive or dead. "Your own wisdom must decide your course; but thirteen is small remnant of the great folk of Durin that once dwelt here, and now are scattered far. If you will listen to my counsel, you will not trust the Master of the Lake-men, but rather him that shot the dragon with his bow. Bard is he, of the race of Dale, of the line of Girion; he is a grim man but true. We would see peace once more among dwarves and men and elves after the long desolation; but it may cost you dear in gold. I have spoken."

Then Thorin burst forth in anger: "Our thanks, Roäc Carc's son. You and your people shall not be forgotten. But none of our gold shall thieves take or the violent carry off while we are alive. If you would earn our thanks still more, bring us news of any that draw near. Also I would beg of you, if any of you are still young and strong of wing, that you would send messengers to our kin in the mountains of the North, both west from here and east, and tell them of our plight. But go specially to my cousin Dain in the Iron Hills, for he has many people well-armed, and dwells nearest to this place. Bid him hasten!"

"I will not say if this counsel be good or bad," croaked Roäc, "but I will do what can be done." Then off he slowly flew.

"Back now to the Mountain!" cried Thorin. "We have little time to lose."

Dawn held back with Legolas as the dwarves started back towards the mountain. "Where do your legions lie?" she asked.

"With my father," Legolas said. "He was correct apparently. I have my doubts that Thorin will give us back the gems that Smaug had stolen from us."

"Stay safe then," Dawn said. "And tell your father that I will work from the inside to make Thorin see reason." She then handed him the Arkenstone. "Take this. Give it to this Bard or your Father. Since Thorin wants it so bad he may agree to peace for its return."

Legolas nodded and off he went as Dawn turned and followed the dwarves.

The dwarves explored the caverns and found that only the Front Gate remained open; all the other gates (except, of course, the small secret door) had long ago been broken and blocked by Smaug, and no sign of them remained. So now they began to labor hard in fortifying the main entrance, and in making a new path that led from it.

Dawn watched and tried to steer Thorin into agreeing to peace. But her words fell on death ears.

As they worked the ravens brought them constant tidings. In this way they learned that the Elvenking had turned aside to the Lake, and they still had a breathing space. Better still, they heard that three of their ponies had escaped and were wandering wild far down the banks of the Running River, not far from where the rest of their stores had been left. So while the others went on with their work, Dawn, Fili and Kili were sent, guided by a raven, to find the ponies and bring back all they could.

They were four days gone, and by that time they knew that the joined armies of the Lake-men and the Elves were hurrying toward the Mountain.

There came a night when suddenly there were many lights as of fires and torches away south in Dale before them.

"They have come!" called Balin. "And their camp is very great. They must have come into the valley under the cover of dusk along both banks of the river."

The next morning saw a company approaching. From behind their wall they watched them come up to the valley's head and climb slowly up. Before long they could see that both men of the lake armed as if for war and elvish bowmen were among them. At length the foremost of these climbed the tumbled rocks and appeared at the top of the falls; and very great was their surprise to see the pool before them and the Gate blocked with a wall of new-hewn stone.

As they stood pointing and speaking to one another Thorin hailed them: "Who are you," he called in a very loud voice, "that come as if in war to the gates of Thorin, son of Thrain, King under the Mountain, and what do you desire?"

But they answered nothing. Some turned swiftly back, and the others after gazing for a while at the Gate and its defenses soon followed them. That day the camp was moved to the east of the river, right between the arms of the Mountain.

The next morning early a company of spearmen was seen crossing the river, and marching up the valley. They bore with them the green banner of the Elvenking and the blue banner of the Lake, and they advanced until they stood right before the wall at the Gate.

Again Thorin hailed them in a loud voice: "Who are you that come armed for war to the gates of Thorin son of Thrain, King under the Mountain?" This time he was answered.

A tall man stood forward, dark of hair and grim of face, and he cried: "Hail Thorin! Why do you fence yourself like a robber in his hold? We are not yet foes, and we rejoice that you are alive beyond our hope. We came expecting to find none living here; yet now that we are met there is matter for a parley and a council."

"Who are you, and of what would you parley?"

"I am Bard, and by my hand was the dragon slain and your treasure delivered. Is that not a matter that concerns you? Moreover I am the heir of Girion of Dale, and in your hoard is mingled much of the wealth of his halls and towns, which of old Smaug stole. Is not that a matter of which we may speak? Further in his last battle Smaug destroyed the dwellings of the men of Esgaroth, and I am yet the servant of their Master. I would speak for him and ask whether you have no thought for the sorrow and misery of his people. They aided you in your distress, and in recompense you have thus far brought ruin only, though doubtless undesigned."

"You put your worst cause last and in the chief place," Thorin answered. "To the treasure of my people no man has a claim, because Smaug who stole it from us also robbed him of life or home. The treasure was not his that his evil deeds should be amended with a share of it. The price of the goods and the assistance that we received of the Lake-men we will fairly pay—in due time. But _nothing_ will we give, not even a loaf's worth, under threat of force. While an armed host lies before our doors, we look on you as foes and thieves.

"It is in my mind to ask what share of their inheritance you would have paid to our kindred, had you found the hoard unguarded and us slain."

"A just question," replied Bard. "But you are not dead, and we are not robbers. Moreover the wealthy may have pity beyond right on the needy that befriended them when they were in want. And still my other claims remain unanswered."

"I will not parley, as I have said, with armed men at my gate. Nor at all with the people of the Elvenking, save Legolas, whom is the only one I remember with small kindness. Only him do I have an agreement to honor. The others have no place in this debate. Begone now ere our arrows fly! And if you would speak with me again, first have Legolas dismiss the elvish host to the woods where it belongs, and then he and you can return, laying down your arms before you approach the threshold."

"The Elvenking is my friend, and he has succored the people of the Lake in their need, though they had no claim but friendship on him," answered Bard. "We will give you time to repent your words. Gather your wisdom ere we return!" Then he departed and went back to the camp.

Ere many hours were past, the banner-bearers returned, and trumpeters stood forth and blew a blast:

"In the name of Esgaroth and the Forest," one cried, "we speak unto Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain, calling himself the King under the Mountain, and we bid him consider well the claims that have been urged, or be declared our foe. At the least he shall deliver one twelfth portion of the treasure unto Bard, as the dragon-slayer, and as the heir of Girion. From that portion Bard will himself contribute to the aid of Esgaroth; but if Thorin would have the friendship and honor of the lands about, as his sires had of old, then he will give also somewhat of his own for the comfort of the men of the Lake."

Dawn wondered what happened to Legolas.

Then Thorin seized a bow of horn and shot an arrow at the speaker. It smote into his shield and stuck there quivering.

"Since such is your answer," he called in return, "I declare the Mountain besieged. You shall not depart from it, until you call on your side for a truce and a parley. We will bear no weapons against you, but we leave you to your gold. You may eat that, if you will!"

"Tell Legolas," Dawn yelled as the messengers departed. "To bring it! It may be the only way."

"To bring what," Thorin said as he looked to Dawn.

"You will find out," Dawn said.


	15. Chapter 15: The Clouds Burst

**Chapter 15: The Clouds Burst**

The banners of the Forest and the Lake were seen to be borne forth again. A company of twenty was approaching. At the beginning of the narrow way they laid aside sword and spear, and came on towards the Gate.

"Hail Thorin!" said Bard. "Are you still of the same mind?"

"My mind does not change with the rising and setting of a few suns," answered Thorin.

"What of the Arkenstone?" Legolas asked as he held up the Arkenstone. "Would you buy peace for its return?"

Thorin's voice was thick with wrath. "That stone was my father's, and is mine," he said. "Why should I purchase my own? When did you take it? I was with you all the time."

"Your own we will give back in return for our own," Bard said.

"I did not take it," Legolas said. "Ariel, daughter of Elrond, daughter of Buffy, gave me the Arkenstone. She found it."

Thorin turned on Dawn and grabbed her with anger. "By the beard of Durin! I wish I had Gandalf here! Curse him for his choice of you! May his beard wither! As for you I will throw you to the rocks!" he cried and shoved Dawn to the edge of the rampart.

"Stay! Your wish is granted!" said a voice. The old man with the casket threw aside his hood and cloak. "Here is Gandalf! And none too soon it seems. If you don't like Ms. Summers, please don't damage her. Listen first to what she has to say!"

"You all seem in league!" said Thorin stepping away from Dawn. "Never again will I have dealings with any wizard or his friends. What have you to say, you descendant of rats?"

"It is simple," Dawn said. "I saw the look in your eyes when you spotted the gold and spoke of the Arkenstone. I knew that should worst come to worst that little would stay your hand from war. If you want to, you can think of it as my share."

"I will," said Thorin grimly. "And I will let you go at that—and may we never meet again!" Then he turned and spoke over the wall. "I am betrayed," he said. "It was rightly guessed that I could not forbear to redeem the Arkenstone, the treasure of my house. For it I will give one fourteenth share of the hoard in silver and gold, setting aside the gems; but that shall be accounted the promised share of this traitor, and with that reward she shall depart, and you can divide it as you will. She will get little enough, I doubt not. Take her, if you wish her to live; and no friendship of mine goes with her."

"Get down now to your friends!" he said to Dawn, "or I will throw you down."

"What about the gold and silver?" asked Dawn. "What about peace?"

"That shall follow after, as can be arranged," said Thorin. "Get down!"

"Until then we keep the stone," cried Legolas.

"You are not making a very splendid figure as King under the Mountain," said Gandalf. "But things may change yet."

"They may indeed," said Thorin.

And so Dawn was swung down from the wall, and departed with nothing except the mithril shirt she still wore, her sword and the ring. More than one of the dwarves in their hearts felt shame and pity at her going.

"Farewell!" Dawn cried to them. "We may meet again as friends." Then she turned and joined Legolas.

"We will give you until tomorrow," Bard said. "At noon we will return, and see if you have brought from the hoard the portion that is to be set against the stone. If that is done without deceit, then we will depart, and the elf-host will go back to the Forest. In the meanwhile farewell!"

"Also," Dawn yelled. "Remember your promise to Legolas. Return what Smaug stole from his people."

With that they went back to the camp.

The next day the wind shifted west, and the air was dark and gloomy. The morning was still early when a cry was heard in the camp. Runners came in to report that a host of dwarves had appeared round the eastern spur of the Mountain and was now hastening to Dale.

"It would be Dain," Dawn said. "Thorin had sent word to him to come posthaste."

Trumpets called men and elves to arms. Before long the dwarves could be seen coming up the valley at a great pace. They halted between the river and the eastern spur; but a few held on their way, and crossing the river drew near the camp; and there they laid down their weapons and held up their hands in sign of peace. Bard went out to meet them, and with him went Dawn, now representing the elves.

"We are sent from Dain, son of Nain," they said when questioned. "We are hastening to our kinsmen in the Mountain, since we learn that the kingdom of old is renewed. But who are you that sit in the plain as foes before defended walls?"

Bard, of course, refused to allow the dwarves to go straight on to the Mountain. He was determined to wait until the gold and silver had been brought out in exchange for the Arkenstone; for he did not believe that this would be done, if once the fortress was manned with so large and warlike a company.

Bard then sent messengers at once to the Gate; but they found no gold or payment. Arrows came forth as soon as they were within shot, and they hastened back in dismay. In the camp all was now astir, as if for battle; for the dwarves of Dain were advancing along the eastern bank.

"Fools!" laughed Bard, "to come thus beneath the Mountain's arm! They do not understand war above ground, whatever they may know of battle in the mines. There are many of our archers and spearmen now hidden in the rocks upon their right flank. Dwarf-mail may be good, but they will soon be hard put to it. Let us set on them now from both sides, before they are fully rested!"

But Thranduil said: "Long will I tarry, ere I begin this war for gold. The dwarves cannot pass us, unless we will, or do anything that we cannot mark. Let us hope still for something that will bring reconciliation. Our advantage in numbers will be enough, if in the end it must come to unhappy blows."

"We must strive for peace," Dawn said. "Not war." But her pleas met deaf ears for both Thranduil and Bard were readied for war. She looked to Legolas. "Can't you …"

Legolas shook his head as he pulled Dawn aside. "My father will not listen to reason here as long as they hold the gems stolen from us by Smaug."

Suddenly without a signal the dwarves sprang silently forward to attack. Bows twanged and arrows whistled; battle was about to be joined.

Still more suddenly a darkness came on with dreadful swiftness! A black cloud hurried over the sky. Winter thunder on a wild wind rolled roaring up and rumbled in the Mountain, and lightning lit its peak. And beneath the thunder another blackness could be seen whirling forward; but it did not come with the wind, it came from the North, like a vast cloud of birds, so dense that no light could be seen between their wings.

"Halt!" cried Gandalf, who appeared suddenly, and stood alone, with arms uplifted, between the advancing dwarves and the ranks awaiting them. "Halt!" he called in a voice like thunder, and his staff blazed forth with a flash like the lightning. "Dread has come upon you all! Alas! it has come more swiftly than I guessed. The Goblins are upon you! Bolg*of the North is coming, O Dain! whose father you slew in Moria. Behold! The bats are above his army like a sea of locusts. They ride upon wolves and Wargs are in their train!"

Amazement and confusion fell upon them all. Even as Gandalf had been speaking the darkness grew. The dwarves halted and gazed at the sky. The elves cried out with many voices.

"Come!" called Gandalf. "There is yet time for council. Let Dain, son of Nain, come swiftly to us!"

So began a battle that none had expected; and it was called the Battle of Five Armies, and it was very terrible. Upon one side were the Goblins and the Wild Wolves, and upon the other were Elves and Men and Dwarves.

Their only hope was to lure the goblins into the valley between the arms of the Mountain; and themselves to man the great spurs that struck south and east. Yet this would be perilous, if the goblins were in sufficient numbers to overrun the Mountain itself, and so attack them also from behind and above; but there was no time to make any other plan, or to summon any help.

Soon the thunder passed, rolling away to the South-East; but the bat-cloud came, flying lower, over the shoulder of the Mountain, and whirled above them shutting out the light and filling them with dread.

"To the Mountain!" called Bard. "To the Mountain! Let us take our places while there is yet time!"

Dawn moved to the gates of the mountain. "Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror. Listen. Goblins are coming. Lay down your differences and remember our friendship. I speak now as your friend. Stand with us or we will all fall to the goblins. "

Thorin did not answer.

It was a terrible battle. The elves were the first to charge. Their spears and swords shone in the gloom with a gleam of chill flame, so deadly was the wrath of the hands that held them. As soon as the host of their enemies was dense in the valley, they sent against it a shower of arrows, and each flickered as it fled as if with stinging fire. Behind the arrows a thousand of their spearmen leapt down and charged. The yells were deafening. The rocks were stained black with goblin blood.

Just as the goblins were recovering from the onslaught and the elf-charge was halted, there rose from across the valley a deep-throated roar. With cries of "Moria!" and "Dain, Dain!" the dwarves of the Iron Hills plunged in, wielding their mattocks, upon the other side; and beside them came the men of the Lake with long swords.

Panic came upon the Goblins; and even as they turned to meet this new attack, the elves charged again with renewed numbers. Already many of the goblins were flying back down the river to escape from the trap; and many of their own wolves were turning upon them and rending the dead and the wounded. Victory seemed at hand, when a cry rang out on the heights above.

Goblins had scaled the Mountain from the other side and already many were on the slopes above the Gate, and others were streaming down recklessly, heedless of those that fell screaming from cliff and precipice, to attack the spurs from above. Each of these could be reached by paths that ran down from the main mass of the Mountain in the centre; and the defenders had too few to bar the way for long. Victory now vanished from hope. They had only stemmed the first onslaught of the black tide.

Day drew on. The goblins gathered again in the valley. There a host of Wargs came ravening and with them came the bodyguard of Bolg, goblins of huge size with scimitars of steel. Soon actual darkness was coming into a stormy sky; while still the great bats swirled about the heads and ears of elves and men, or fastened vampire-like on the stricken. Now Bard was fighting to defend the Eastern spur, and yet giving slowly back; and the elf-lords were at bay about their king upon the southern arm, near to the watch-post on Ravenhill.

Suddenly there was a great shout, and from the Gate came a trumpet call. Part of the wall, moved by levers, fell outward with a crash into the pool. Out leapt the King under the Mountain, and his companions followed him. Hood and cloak were gone; they were in shining armour, and red light leapt from their eyes. In the gloom the great dwarf gleamed like gold in a dying fire.

Rocks were hurled down from on high by the goblins above; but they held on, leapt down to the falls' foot, and rushed forward to battle. Wolf and rider fell or fled before them.

Thorin wielded his axe with mighty strokes, and nothing seemed to harm him. "To me! To me! Elves and Men! To me! O my kinsfolk!" he cried, and his voice shook like a horn in the valley.

"To Thorin," Dawn yelled and Thranduil nodded.

Down, heedless of order, rushed all the dwarves of Dain to Thorin. Down too came many of the Lake-men, for Bard could not restrain them; and out upon the other side came many of the spearmen of the elves. Once again the goblins were stricken in the valley; and they were piled in heaps till Dale was dark and hideous with their corpses. The Wargs were scattered and Thorin drove right against the bodyguard of Bolg. But he could not pierce their ranks.

The bodyguard of Bolg came howling against them, and drove in upon their ranks like waves upon cliffs of sand. Their friends could not help them, for the assault from the Mountain was renewed with redoubled force, and upon either side men and elves were being slowly beaten down.

Dawn, Gandalf, Legolas and Thranduil stood among the Elves. The clouds were torn by the wind, and a red sunset slashed the West. Dawn looked around and then smiled and nudged Gandalf. "I believe our friends have come."

Gandalf nodded. "Yes."

The eagles were coming down the wind, line after line, in such a host as must have gathered from all the eyries of the North.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>One Chapter Left and then we start into Middle Earth 2: Return to Middle Earth.

Right now I don't expect to start into Middle Earth Interlude (which chronicles the events between Middle Earth and Middle Earth 2) till after Middle Earth 2. That could always change of course and if it does I will let you know. But right now don't expect Middle Earth Interlude any time soon.


	16. Chapter 16: Return Journey

**Chapter 16: Return Journey**

They watched as with the eagles help the tide turn in their favor. When all was over the Dwarves, Elves and Men tended to their dead.

Dawn walked amongst them letting out a long sigh. Then suddenly a man ran up to her. "Ariel, daughter of Elrond?" he asked.

"Yes," Dawn said.

"You are needed," he said.

The man led Dawn to a tent in the Dale where Gandalf stood, with his arm in a sling.

When Gandalf saw Dawn he smiled." Dawn." He then led her into the tent.

"Hail! Thorin," Gandalf said as he entered. "I have brought her."

There indeed lay Thorin Oakenshield, wounded with many wounds, and his rent armor and notched axe were cast upon the floor. He looked up as Dawn came beside him.

"Farewell, Dawn," he said. "I go now to the halls of waiting to sit beside my fathers, until the world is renewed. Since I leave now all gold and silver, and go where it is of little worth, I wish to part in friendship from you, and I would take back my words and deeds at the Gate."

Dawn looked at Gandalf who seemed to know her thoughts. He shook his head indicating that there was not enough time to take Thorin to Elrond to be healed, even with Dawn's amulet. She turned back to Thorin and smiled sadly. "You have never ceased to be my friend, Thorin Oakenshield. I will tell my children and they shall tell theirs till the end of time of the King under the Mountain."

"That is likely more than I deserve," Thorin said. "Farewell, my friend."

Then Dawn turned away, and she went by herself, and sat alone wrapped in a blanket, and wept until her eyes were red and her voice was hoarse.

"How are you my dear?" Gandalf asked as he sat next to her some time later.

"I lost a good friend," Dawn said. "I heard this in a movie once. I think it's fitting to say it now. It is a far far better thing I do than I have ever done before... a far better resting place I go to than I have ever known..."

"Yes," Gandalf said. "That does sound fitting at this moment. When you are ready we will return to Rivendell. And then I will proceed to find a way to return you home."

"After the funeral," Dawn said as Gandalf nodded in understanding.

They buried Thorin deep beneath the Mountain, and Legolas laid the Arkenstone upon his breast.

"There let it lie till the Mountain falls!" Legolas said. "May it bring good fortune to all his folk that dwell hereafter!"

Upon his tomb Thranduil then laid Orcrist, the elvish sword that had been taken from Thorin when he had held Thorin captive.

Of the twelve dwarf companions of Thorin, ten remained. Fili and Kili had fallen defending him with shield and body, for he was their mother's elder brother. The others remained with Dain; for Dain dealt his treasure well.

There was, of course, no longer any question of dividing the hoard in such shares as had been planned, to Balin and Dwalin, and Dori and Nori and Ori, and Oin and Gloin, and Bifur and Bofur and Bombur—or to Dawn herself. Yet a fourteenth share of all the silver and gold, wrought and unwrought, was given up to Bard as well as the return of the gems that Smaug had stolen to Thranduil; for Dain said: "We will honor the agreement of the dead, and he has now the Arkenstone in his keeping."

Despite the fact that she had told Thorin she could not use the money. She was given a chest of gold to take with her anyways. Of course once she returned to Sunnydale she would have to have it melted down so as to be unrecognizable and to come up with a good cover story of where it had come from.

At last the time came for Dawn to say good-bye to her friends. "Farewell, Balin!" she said; "and farewell, Dwalin; and farewell Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur! May your beards never grow thin!" And turning towards the Mountain she added: "Farewell Thorin Oakenshield! And Fili and Kili! May your memory never fade!"

Then the dwarves bowed low before their Gate, but words stuck in their throats. "Good-bye and good luck, wherever you fare!" said Balin at last. "If ever you visit us again, when our halls are made fair once more, then the feast shall indeed be splendid!"

Dawn smiled sadly for if she could return home the likelihood of her returning to Erebor or anywhere else on Middle Earth was very small indeed. Still she appreciated the sentiment. "Should any of you ever have need, seek out my father and mention to him that you are friends of Ariel. None of you will ever be turned away."

Gandalf and Dawn rode behind Thranduil and Legolas. Once they read the borders of Mirkwood they stopped.

"Farewell! O Elvenking!" said Gandalf. "Merry be the greenwood, while the world is yet young! And merry be all your folk!"

"Farewell! O Gandalf!" said the king. "May you ever appear where you are most needed and least expected! The oftener you appear in my halls the better shall I be pleased!"

"Goodbye, Legolas," Dawn said. "I will miss you the most. In the short time we have known each other. I have come to love you. And I will carry that love all the days of my life."

"Do you have to go?" Legolas asked. "Can't you stay?"

"I wish I could," Dawn said. "But I have to return to my sister/mother. She is probably worried about me."

"Then goodbye. Ariel, daughter of Elrond, daughter of Buffy," Legolas said as he kissed her.

As Gandalf and Dawn turned north Thranduil and Legolas watched them.

"You may yet see her again," Thranduil whispered to his son. "But if you do, it will be out here in the world of men. I have a feeling she will not be back this way again."

Legolas looked to his father and nodded in understanding. His father was giving him leave to wait for Dawn out in the world. He bowed his head and then he too turned his horse away from Mirkwood and rode off.

A month later Gandalf and Dawn arrived in Rivendell. As they rode down the steep path, Dawn heard the elves singing in the trees and smiled.

The elves of the valley came out and greeted them and led them across the water to the house of Elrond. There a warm welcome was made them, and there were many eager ears that evening to hear the tale of their adventures.

That night Dawn woke to find herself in a white bed, and the moon shining through an open window. She smiled as she looked around. She had been here a week and all that while Gandalf and Elrond had been talking and discussing her return home. Suddenly their came a knock.

Dawn got out of bed and grabbed a dressing gown. "Come in," she said as she cinched it around her waist as Elrond and Gandalf entered the room.

"My daughter," Elrond said. "We think we have found a way to return you home."

Dawn smiled and two days later she stood in front of a portal opened utilizing her own blood. She after all still housed the Key. She had been taught a ritual that would allow her to travel between Middle Earth and Earth via the Key. She bid Gandalf and Elrond goodbye, made sure her sword was securely strapped to her waist and the chest of gold firmly clutched in her arms and she stepped through the portal and home.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: The first chapter of the sequel Middle Earth 2: Return to Middle Earth is up now.<strong>


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